Skydiver Recounts Narrow Escape Before Fatal Plane Crash

Devin Hutchinson recently shared a harrowing experience with News 13: he had skydived from a plane just hours before it tragically crashed near the McDowell/Rutherford county line, claiming the lives of all three aboard.

North Carolina State Highway Patrol reported that the pilot, Adam Plummer, along with passengers Scott George and Charles Mather Jr., all residents of South Carolina, perished when their Cessna 182 crash-landed in a remote area of Rutherford County.

For Hutchinson and his friends, the decision to skydive had been long-awaited. They finally seized the opportunity during Hutchinson’s bachelor trip, starting their Sunday at Johnson County Airport in Mountain City, Tennessee, a small facility with a handful of planes.

Describing the scene, Hutchinson recounted meeting their instructors and pilot, who made them feel comfortable and prepared for the jump. “Our instructors and the pilot flew in and we got to meet them and they walked us through everything, made us comfortable. They were super great,” he said.

The small size of the plane meant they had to split up for the jump. Hutchinson jumped with instructor Scott George, one of the individuals tragically lost in the crash. “The instructor that I jumped with said ‘How does it feel? You just jumped out of a plane, a once-in-a-lifetime experience,'” Hutchinson recalled.

What started as an exhilarating adventure turned somber the next morning when Hutchinson saw news of the crash. He initially didn’t connect it to his recent experience until he investigated further and discovered it was the same plane they had been on.

“It crushed us,” he said. “Those were the people that we had just met less than 12 hours ago and now they’re not here.”

Reflecting on the crew, Hutchinson praised them as “world-class people” who were not only skilled but also joyous and relatable. “They were great at what they do. They were super relatable and they were just fun to be around. You could tell they were full of joy, and they had a great time doing what they were doing,” he said.

Despite spending only a short time with them, Hutchinson emphasized the lasting impact they had on him. “Every person they jump with, that’s a huge deal to that person, and it’s just crazy how much they impacted me because that’s the craziest thing I’ve ever done,” he reflected.

Ultimately, Hutchinson will forever remember the way they embraced life to the fullest and the profound impact they had on his unforgettable experience.