Three people traveling in a small plane died on Saturday after crashing about one mile south of a rural airport in Sparta, Tennessee.

Airport officials and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told Fox News Digital the single-engine Mooney M20TN aircraft crashed at about noon local time, as it was on an approach to the Upper Cumberland Regional Airport.

Upper Cumberland Regional Airport officials confirmed three people are dead following the crash on Saturday. (Google Maps)

Rob Holland, the pilot, was the only person on board and died after crashing into the dirt near the taxiway just after 11:30 a.m. Thursday, according to NTSB air safety investigator Dan Boggs. 

Holland was attempting a routine landing when the tragedy occurred, and was not performing any stunts, Boggs said. 

Officials confirmed Holland was in touch with air traffic controllers prior to the crash.

The airfield was closed at the time and military operations were not impacted.