Famed NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his family were involved in a plane crash in east Tennessee on August 15. Dale, his wife, and their one-year-old daughter escaped unharmed after Earnhardt's private jet crashed at Elizabethton Municipal Airport. Local police said the plane ran off the runway upon landing and caught fire.

Dale Earnhardt Plane Crash -What happened?

Dale Earnhardt Jr., his wife Amy, and their daughter were aboard a Cessna Citation that ran off the runway after landing at a small airport in east Tennessee. The plane ran off the end of the runway through a fence and came to a rest next to highway. The Cessna caught fire shortly afterwards due to the damage it had sustain off the runway.

The local fire department confirmed that all passengers and the two pilots escaped the aircraft shortly after the fire started. All were taken to the hospital for further evaluation but no one sustained serious injuries. According to Elizabethton Fire Chief Barry Carrier, Earnhardt Jr. "was having a little bit of trouble" but "they transported him to non-emergency."

Earnhardt Jr.'s sister Kelley confirmed on Twitter than everyone was safe: “I can confirm Dale, Amy & Isla along with his two pilots were involved in a crash in Bristol TN this afternoon. Everyone is safe and has been taken to the hospital for further evaluation. We have no further information at this time. Thank you for your understanding.”

The reason for the crash is yet unknown, but the local authorities are investigating the crash site.

Earnhardt Jr. was reportedly in the area to attend NASCAR events at the nearly Bristol Motor Speedway.

Iconic NASCAR driver

The 44-year-old is one of NASCAR's most iconic drivers. Dale started his career in NASCAR's top tier in 1999 and raced until 2017. He scored 25 wins and placed third at the end of the 2003 championship. Earnhardt Jr. also raced in the Xfinity Series from 1996 to 2019, scoring 20 wins and two championships in 1998 and 1999. Dale also won the Daytona 500 twice, in 2004 and 2014. In 2001, he finished the 24 Hours of Daytona in fourth place for Corvette Racing. The North Carolina born also own five Xfinity Series championship as a team owner between 2004 and 2018.