NTSB Details Fatal Crash Killing Grammy Songwriter Brett James, Family in North Carolina

Grammy-winning country songwriter Brett James tragically died in a plane crash on September 18, 2025, in North Carolina, along with his wife Melody Carole and her daughter Meryl Wilson. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that James was piloting a Cirrus SR22T and had requested a visual approach to Macon County Airport, intending to perform a 360-degree turn to land. Witnesses and surveillance footage showed the aircraft flying low, rocking side to side, rolling inverted, and descending behind a tree line before crashing in an open field near a school playground. The NTSB found no signs of engine failure, and the plane is undergoing further examination to determine additional causes. James, known for hits like "Jesus Take The Wheel" and Kenny Chesney's "Reality," left a deep impact on country music, with tributes pouring in from fellow artists such as Carrie Underwood. The crash occurred shortly after departing Nashville, and the tragic event has left a significant void in the music community.