Pilot error likely caused Nashville plane crash that killed Ontario family: NTSB | Globalnews.ca
A fiery small plane crash in Nashville that killed an Ontario family last year was most likely caused by pilot error, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says.
The U.S. government agency released its final report this month into the deadly March 4, 2024, crash that killed 43-year-old Victor Dotsenko, his wife Rimma, 39, and their children: 12-year-old David, 10-year-old Adam and seven-year-old Emma.
The King Township family left the province in a Piper PA-32RT single-engine plane and made stops in Pennsylvania and Kentucky to refuel before attempting to land at Nashville’s John C. Tune Airport around 7:40 p.m.
However, the plane crashed within Nashville city limits alongside Interstate 40, frightening passing motorists. It burst into flames in grass just off the highway and behind a Costco on the city’s westside, about 4.8 kilometres south of the airport.
The NTSB said in its final report that it found no mechanical problems with the plane, but the fuel selector was between the “off” position and the left main tank position.
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It said that setting would starve the engine of fuel and “was likely the result” of the pilot – Victor – changing the fuel selector handle in preparation for landing.
“It is likely that the pilot moved the fuel selector at some point during the overflight and approach, but failed to fully seat the selector in position, resulting in a restricted fuel flow that was less than that needed to sustain engine power,” the agency said.
“Following the loss of engine power, the remaining altitude was insufficient to provide gliding distance to the runway.”
‘I’m not going to make it’
During the flight, Victor had contacted air traffic controllers and was lined up with the runway, but for unknown reasons, he didn’t descend for landing. He requested to circle around and approach the runway again.
When a controller asked Victor if he still had the airport in sight, he stated his engine had shut down. The controller asked again if he was trying to land.
“I’m going to be landing, I don’t know where,” Victor said.
A controller told him they were clearing a runway and urged him to try to glide in.
But Victor said in his last transmission, “I’m too far away. I’m not going to make it.”
Victor had a hangar at the Brampton Flying Club, which operates a small airport and flying school in the Greater Toronto Area.
Tony Starcevic, a member of the club, told Global News at the time that Victor was a nice, intelligent man.
“It’s affected all of us at the field here,” he said.
“We never want to lose somebody.… It’s a terrible tragedy.”
Rimma was an employee of Regal Crest Homes in Vaughan, Ont.
The company’s general manager told Global News she was a wonderful person and employee, and they were very sad to hear of her death. They added that the children had been to the office on several occasions.
— with files from Sean Previl, Sean O’Shea and The Associated Press
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
