A twin-engine Aero-Commander registered as N601JJ, departed DeKalb Peachtree Airport in Atlanta, Georgia on May 28, 1971. The airplane was piloted by the civilian owner, Mr. Herman Butler who was commissioned to transport his compliment of four passengers on a north bound flight to Martinsville, Virginia, over 316 miles away. Due to inclement weather, Mr. Herman Butler became lost, flying 60 miles past Martinsville and ending up in in the vicinity of Carroll County, Virginia. At around 12:08 pm, the flight crashed into Brush Mountain, killing all onboard. An investigation into the airplane crash was conducted by the National Safety Board and a final report was issued in June 1972. According to the official report, the incident was a result of poor visibility in the region. The pilot contined to attempt to fly using visual cues during flight in adverse conditions at altitudes too low to clear the mountain range. The crash garnered attention from news papers across the country due to the name of one of the individuals that died in the crash, World War II veteran Audie Murphy.