Brett James sings on stage during a live broadcast at Analog in Nashville, Tenn., March 8, 2025.

Brett James Cornelius, a lauded Nashville songwriter, has died after a small plane registered to him crashed in North Carolina on Thursday, officials said. He was 57.

According to preliminary information from the Federal Aviation Administration, a Cirrus SR22T single-engine plane crashed in a field in Franklin, North Carolina, around 3 p.m. local time on Thursday, Sept. 18.

None of the three people on board the aircraft survived, according to the FAA report. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol responded to the scene around 3:00 p.m., according to an emailed statement from the agency.

The agency identified the three people on board as Cornelius, Melody Carole and Meryl Maxwell Wilson. They were confirmed deceased at the scene.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident, with the NTSB serving as lead investigator.

USA TODAY also reached out to the Macon County Sheriff's Office.

FlightAware data shows the plane left John C. Tune Airport in Nashville, Tennessee, around 12:41 p.m. Thursday.

Officials: Crash happened near school; everyone 'safe'

The incident happened on a property neighboring the Iotla Valley Elementary School, the Macon County Sheriff's Office in North Carolina said in a Facebook post shortly after the crash.

"To the parents that have children that attend Iotla school. The students, and staff are safe," the sheriff's office said. "There was an airplane accident on the neighboring property. Again all students and staff are safe."

Brett James penned 'Jesus Take The Wheel,' other top hits

The Columbia, Missouri, native co-wrote hits including Carrie Underwood's "Jesus Take The Wheel" and "When the Sun Goes Down" by Kenny Chesney and Uncle Kracker.

James attended Baylor University, intending to pursue a career in medicine similar to his late father, Dr. Sam Cornelius. In a 2007 interview with The Oklahoman, part of the USA TODAY Network, James recalled that, while attending school as an undergraduate, he received a $90 guitar from a pawn shop as a Christmas gift.

"As soon as I learned three chords, I just thought it'd be fun to write a song with 'em. I just kind of did it for fun, and I certainly never dreamed it would be a job."

However, after his 1991 graduation, he left the University of Oklahoma's medical school for the music industry, signing with Arista Nashville's Career Records as a solo artist.

By 1995, he released his debut album.

Six years later, James had transformed into a consistent hit country songwriter. By the late 2000s, he was an award-winning pensmith as "Jesus Take The Wheel" earned him a Grammy Award for best country song, while performing rights organization ASCAP named James their country songwriter of the year in 2006 and 2010.

Still active, in 2020, James released the EP "I Am Now," his first in over 20 years. It featured the lead single "True Believer."

"Having written songs for other artists for so long, I've gotten used to not writing from personal experience," James told Billboard. "When 'True Believer' started to fall out of the sky in my studio, though, I knew immediately that it was for my daughter, Clare. I really just started playing that guitar riff and the words and melody fell out in an hour or so."

Tributes pour in for James

Several country stars took to social media to honor the songwriter.

Jason Aldean, who collaborated with James for his song "The Truth," wrote on X he was "heartbroken to hear of the loss of my friend Brett James tonight. I had nothing but love and respect for that guy and he helped change my life. Honored to have met him and worked with him. Thoughts and prayers going out to his family."

Singer Sara Evans, who worked with James for her song "Cheatin,'" wrote on Instagram: "I am absolutely devastated at the loss of one of the best writers I've ever written with and recorded several of his songs. Brett James.

"I'm praying for his loved ones. What a tragic and sad day. He will be so missed."

James is survived by his wife, Sandra, and their four children.

Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at mdelrey@usatoday.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James among 3 killed in small plane crash

Reporting by Michelle Del Rey and Marcus K. Dowling, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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