A survivor of a Tennessee plane crash involving a group of skydivers is speaking out for the first time. He says that he is lucky to be alive after the plane crashed.
Skydiving instructor Justin Fuller Spidey was one of 20 people on board the plane when it crashed. Somehow, he escaped without injuries.
"I just wanted to make a post and reach out to everyone and let y'all know I'm ok. I was on the plane," wrote Spidey in a Facebook post. "Thank you to everyone who reached out and showed love, I appreciate it. I got lucky and came out without a scratch...I'm extremely blessed to have such an amazing support group on my side, y'all rock!"
The plane crashed after taking off from Tullahoma Regional Airport in Tennessee on June 8. Four people were hospitalized following the crash. The pilot suffered serious injuries. He faces a long recovery ahead.
Skydiving Plane Crash
"Today is the day the healing starts. And keep our pilot at the top of the list. He saved everyone on board and has the longest road to recovery out of all of us. Yesterday was a day I won't soon forget," he concluded.
"There was an aircraft incident at our operation yesterday that has left us all stunned," the statement read. "Firstly and most importantly, we are incredibly thankful that there were no fatalities. Six people, including our pilot, were taken to the hospital out of an abundance of caution-all were alert and talking at the scene. Several have since been released."
It continued, "The incident occurred following an aborted takeoff, resulting in a crash on airport property. Emergency responders were on the scene within minutes, and we're deeply grateful for their swift, professional care."
Skydive Tennessee is investigating the cause of the crash. They said the plane was "current on all required maintenance inspections at the time of the flight."
"We're committed to learning everything we can from this incident," the statement continued. "We also recognize that events like this affect more than just those on board. Our thoughts are with our extended team and community as we all process what happened."
