Human Interest Real People Real People Tragedy Man Skydived from Plane Hours Before It Crashed in North Carolina, Killing 3 "Those were the people that we had just met less than 12 hours ago, and now they're not here," skydiver Devin Hutchinson told ABC affiliate WLOS By David Chiu David Chiu David Chiu is a digital news writer for PEOPLE. A former PEOPLE intern from 2007 to 2008, he has been writing about news and entertainment for over 10 years. People Editorial Guidelines Published on July 12, 2024 12:34PM EDT Close A man who skydived as part of a bachelor’s celebration says he jumped from a plane that crashed hours later in western North Carolina earlier this week, killing a pilot and two passengers onboard. Devin Hutchinson told ABC affiliate WLOS that he and his friends were embarking on their skydiving adventure on Sunday, July 7, at Johnson County Airport in Mountain City, Tenn., where they met the instructors and pilot who reviewed the procedures with them. Hutchinson went up on a small plane with instructor Scott George, who was later reported to be one of the three people who were killed 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 to WLOS. 12-Year-Old Boy Who Died in Plane Crash with His Family Hit Grand Slam in Last Game, Coach Says The adventure was something that Hutchinson and his friends had always wanted to do but never had the chance until July 7. "We were supposed to go two weeks ago, then we were supposed to go a week ago, and then we were finally able to go Sunday," Hutchinson said. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In a statement shared with PEOPLE on Friday, July 12, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said, based on preliminary information, that a single-engine Cessna 182 plane crashed in the mountains near Rutherfordton, North Carolina, around 6:45 a.m. local time on Monday, July 8. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), however, said in an email to PEOPLE that the crash occurred on July 7 around 9 p.m., and the wreckage was discovered the following day. On July 8, a statement from North Carolina’s McDowell County Emergency Management, officials confirmed that three people who were aboard the plane were killed. “Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of those affected by this devastating incident,” read the statement. Canadian Family of 5, Including 3 Kids, Identified as Victims of Plane Crash on Nashville Highway The North Carolina State Highway Patrol later confirmed to PEOPLE that the three fatalities were pilot Adam Plummer and passengers Scott George and Charles Mather Jr., all of whom were from South Carolina. According to FlightAware, the plane departed from Mountain City on July 7 at 8:29 p.m., and was last seen near Rutherfordton, N.C., that same day at 8:57 p.m. Hutchinson later caught the news report about the crash and noticed the airport where the plane flew from, per WLOS. When he tracked down the plane’s tail number, Hutchinson realized it was the same aircraft he had boarded earlier. I Survived a Plane Crash That Killed 137 Others, Including My Dad. That Was Just the Beginning. (Exclusive) "I had told my friends, and it crushed us," said Hutchinson. "Those were the people that we had just met less than 12 hours ago, and now they're not here." PEOPLE also contacted Hutchinson for additional comment, but he did not immediately respond. The FAA said it and the NTSB are investigating the incident, and the NTSB will be in charge of the investigation.