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Retired Birmingham firefighter killed in plane crash in Tennessee


Hickman County Sheriff's Office photo.
Hickman County Sheriff's Office photo.
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HICKMAN COUNTY, Tennessee --{}A retired Birmingham firefighter was killed Wednesday after the plane he was flying crashed in Hickman County, Tennessee,{}approximately 50 miles southwest of Nashville.

The pilot's name is{}Jim O. House,{}III. ABC 33/40's sister-station in Nashville reports, "it took rescue crews around three hours to recover House's body from the wreckage."

Early reports indicate House was flying a homemade aircraft. Investigators have not determined a cause of the crash.{}

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have arrived at the scene to begin investigating.{}

ABC 33/40 learned House retired from Birmingham Fire & Rescue as a Captain in 2010. He joined in 1985.{}

Birmingham Fire & Rescue Chief C.W. Mardis knew House, III.{}

"Captain House was really a great guy. We are really going to miss him. You know, he was very knowledgeable. He was a good firefighter. He was a great person. He was retired military," said Chief C.W. Mardis.{}

House was also a Lieutenant Colonel with the Pell City Civil Air Patrol.{}

The commander there released a statement to members:

"It is with with great sadness that I must report the loss of one of our members.{}Lt. Col. James O. House III, a member of SER-AL-118, Pell City Composite Squadron,{}died from injuries suffered in the crash of his personal aircraft."

Lt. James Gosnell, the commander, told ABC 33/40 House joined his squadron in 2007. He believed House was flying{}'experimental home-built' aircraft. He believe it's from a{}RANS RV 6A kit.{}

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