OCONEE COUNTY, S.C. (WYFF) -- Authorities said four men from Indiana who were on the way to the Clemson-Notre Dame game were killed in a plane crash near the state line Friday.
Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley confirmed the small plane crashed near Lake Hartwell.
The Oconee County Coroner's office said 911 communication received a call at about 3:13 p.m. Friday reporting an airplane spiraling downwards.
Authorities from both Stephens County and Oconee County said the crash was in the Highway 123 area.
Crews said they have located the plane's fuselage and that 4 people on board did not survive.
Legendary Sprint car driver Tony Elliott was among the four people who died, according to South Bend NBC station WNDU.
The plane was owned by Warsaw, Indiana, city councilman Charlie Smith. Two other men were on board the flight, which originated in northern Indiana and was going to Clemson for Saturday's Notre Dame-Clemson football game.
The aircraft belonged to Charles Smith of Warsaw, Ind., a Piper PA-32, Warsaw police told WNDU.
Smith is a councilman in the Indiana town and according to police, the plane was headed to the Clemson versus Notre Dame game.
WYFF reports that the FAA said it alerted local authorities and airports around 4 p.m. about a missing aircraft.
According to the FAA, the plane was headed to the Clemson airport.
NTSB and FAA officials are headed to Lake Hartwell to begin investigating the crash.
WYFF and WNDU contributed to this report.
