The pilot of a small airplane walked away with only a minor wrist injury Thursday morning after crash-landing in the median of busy Cobb Parkway, not far from the county’s airport.
He was the only person aboard the single-engine Grumman American AA-1, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, which will investigate the crash. The pilot reported engine problems after departing from Cobb County International Airport-McCollum Field, the agency said.
Credit: WSBTV Videos
The man, whose name was not released, declined treatment, according to Kennesaw police spokesman Officer David Buchanan.
The plane landed about 10 a.m. just north of Kennesaw Due West Road, about a half-mile north of the airport, with its nose pointed down after hitting a guy wire, Buchanan confirmed.
No cars were struck and no other injuries were reported.
“We’re actually very fortunate that this occurred after the morning-hour rush,” Buchanan said. “Because if it had been between 7 and 9 (in the morning) or 3 to 5 (in the afternoon) there would have been a bunch of cars bumper-to-bumper right here. All things considered, this is the best outcome we could hope for.”
According to video from a witness, the plane can be seen drifting southbound toward the ground, and a bright flash is seen as it hits the power line. It then appears to turn toward the median, which causes it to get off-kilter, and its wing crashes into the ground right at the edge of the median as the rest of the plane tumbles over.
Another witness, who works at a store nearby, told Channel 2 Action News that she saw the crash, and she and a coworker ran to check on the pilot.
”All I was thinking is I hope it doesn’t come in our store, that’s what I was thinking,” Jennifer Young told the news station. “Then it was like, ‘Is (the pilot) going to be OK?’ I don’t see how anyone made it. No cars got hit, nothing.”
Georgia Power worked into the early afternoon to repair the damaged power lines.
All northbound lanes of Cobb Parkway were closed as authorities gathered debris from the crash and worked to remove the plane. It was placed on a trailer and moved around 11:30 a.m., and all lanes were reopened about 15 minutes later.
Credit: Kevin Whaley, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
