Gainesville, United States: A small single-engine aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing on a busy Gainesville roadway Monday afternoon, colliding with three vehicles and causing minor injuries, authorities said. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have opened investigations into the incident.
The accident occurred at approximately 12:10 p.m. local time near the intersection of Browns Bridge Road and Pearl Nix Parkway, a major thoroughfare north of Atlanta. The 2010 Hawker Beechcraft BE-36, operating out of Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport, was en route to Cherokee County Regional Airport in Canton when the pilot reported engine trouble shortly after takeoff, according to FAA statements and local police.
Police and witness accounts indicate the pilot attempted to return to the airport after detecting a loss of engine power but determined he could not reach the runway. Faced with limited options, the pilot executed an emergency landing on the roadway. The aircraft slid along the pavement and struck three vehicles in the intersection.
Videos shared with media outlets capture the plane coming down on the road amid traffic, narrowly avoiding power lines and other hazards. A detached fuel tank from the aircraft was reported to have struck the rear of an SUV during the landing.
Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene. Police said two people, both drivers of separate vehicles involved in the crash, were injured and taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution.
The two individuals on board the plane, identified by authorities as an experienced pilot and a student pilot, were not seriously injured and remained on-site to assist investigators.
In air traffic control recordings reported by local media, the pilot can be heard declaring a mayday call shortly before touchdown and expressing concern for his safety, asking that messages be relayed to his family.
Both the FAA and NTSB are investigating the incident to determine the cause of the engine failure and the sequence of events leading to the emergency landing. The intersection remains closed while crews wait for a specialized rollback truck capable of removing the aircraft from the roadway. Drivers are being warned to expect extended traffic delays in the area.
