Witness sees spiraling plane before fatal crash

Published 3:05 pm Monday, December 4, 2023

Elkmont residents Kenny and Evelyn Culbertson were headed north on Alabama 127 in Limestone County when, off to the right, they saw a small plane at low altitude spiraling downward.

At a couple of minutes before noon Monday, Dec. 4, the plane they saw crashed near the intersection of 127 and Witty Mill Road, killing two on board, according to the Limestone County coroner’s office.

“We were about a mile from Witty Mill Road when we saw the plane on our right,” said Evelyn Culbertson. “Kenny said he hoped someone was in control of that plane.”

Evelyn Culberson said the plane couldn’t have been more than a half-mile high when they saw it. She said they were at what is known as the Alabama Forks, where 127 intersects with Hays Mill Road.

“It was very low,” she said. “I don’t know how it got all the way over to Witty Mill Road. We turned on the news as soon as we got home and it came on that there had been a plane crash on Witty Mill Road and two people were killed.”

The Culbertson live about 1 mile from the crash site. Witty Mill Road was blocked through mid-afternoon as of press time Monday.