Reports: A Possible Food City Owned Chopper Crashes in South Holston Lake

Very early and unsubstantiated reports are saying that a helicopter registered to K-VA-T &W-L Aviation LLC in Abingdon,Va. (Food City) went down in South Holston Lake, near Lake Road and Green Springs Road.

Reports indicate that the helicopter was in the water and surrounded by boats.

Other early reports indicated or suggested that members of the Food City family are also at the site.

Details are still coming forth, but the helicopter crash itself, has been confirmed.  Other details to follow.

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Update 1am ET:  The helicopter was a K-VA-T vehicle and the company's general counsel confirmed that Food City CEO Steve Smith was not on the helicopter.

Update 1:22am (ET): Rescue teams are searching for survivors, the number of which, are unknown at this time.

The incident took place near the home of K-VA-T Food Stores CEO Steven Smith.

1:32am (P\ET) There are reports that there was just the pilot on board, who just dropped of Mr. Smith and was headed back to Bristol to pick up other Food City folks. (Jim Utter Twitter)

1:39am (ET)  News reports are confirming that only the pilot was on board and he has not been located yet.

1:52am (ET)  At this time, there's no new news or reports about the pilot.  I can only assume the worse but hope for the best for this poor soul.  The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries rescue team has divers looking for him.   The Virginia State Police plan on sealing off the scene in the morning, as well as the FAA showing up to investigate the crash scene Saturday morning.

Food City has sponsored NASCAR races for 20 years.  This is a member of the NASCAR family, and we're all hoping for the best possible outcome.

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WJHL

Info on Plane Crash of Bruce Kennedy

I came across an AP report on Bruce Kennedy's plane crash.

It starts out: A pilot of a NASCAR plane was planning an emergency landing due to smoke in the cockpit seconds before communications cut off and the aircraft crashed, killing five people, a newspaper reported Friday.

I don't want to propogate this any more, but I interested, the entire article is at: ap.org

Husband of ISC exec killed in Plane Accident

A small plane carrying the husband of a NASCAR executive crashed into a neighborhood while trying to make an emergency landing Tuesday, killing five people and starting two house fires that seriously burned three other people, authorities said.

NASCAR confirmed that Dr. Bruce Kennedy, a Daytona Beach plastic surgeon and husband of International Speedway Corporation President Lesa France Kennedy, and NASCAR Aviation pilot Michael Klemm were among the dead. via Fox Sports

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/breakingnews/crash071007.htm

Our prayers go out to everyone involved. ~ Bruce Simmons