Three people were killed Thursday afternoon when a small plane traveling from Nashville crashed in a rural area of North Carolina. The crash occurred near Iotla Valley Elementary School in Macon County, though school officials confirmed that the incident did not take place on school grounds. Authorities say all students and staff at the elementary school are safe. 

Flight data indicates the aircraft was a Cirrus SR22T that departed from John C. Tune Airport in Nashville at 12:41 p.m. Central Daylight Time.  The plane went down in a field near the school around 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time, according to local reports. 

One of those killed is reported to be Nashville songwriter Brett Cornelius, who was also known by his professional name Brett James. He had co-written hit songs such as “Jesus Take the Wheel” and “When the Sun Goes Down.”  At this time, the identities of the other victims have not been publicly released. 

Investigators from the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Transportation Safety Board are examining the cause of the crash.  The investigation remains ongoing and further information is expected to be released as authorities gather more details.