Athens Pilot Killed in Polk County Plane Crash Saturday

Benton, TN (WDEF) – Polk County officials says a pilot from Athens Tennessee was killed in a plane crash over the weekend.

It happened in a field along Highway 411 north of Benton on Saturday afternoon.

Witnesses say the plane had just taken off from the Gliderport in Benton when it crashed.

The sheriff says Gary Church was pronounced dead at the scene.

He was flying a single engine, fixed wing aircraft.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the cause of the crash.