A small single-engine plane made an emergency landing Monday afternoon on a bustling roadway in Gainesville, striking several vehicles and shutting down a major intersection as stunned drivers looked on.
According to the Gainesville Police Department, the plane came down near Browns Bridge Road and Pearl Nix Parkway. Officers said the plane collided with multiple cars as it descended onto the roadway.
In pictures included in the post, the plane—which landed on the roadway in front of a Pizza Hut and Golden Corral—has visible damage to the nose. A dark colored SUV missing its front bumper is parked beside the plane.
A spokesperson for the police department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NTD News.
A spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) told NTD News in an emailed statement that a Beechcraft Bonanza BE-35 departed Gainesville's Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport and was bound for Cherokee County Regional Airport in Canton, Georgia. The spokesperson stated that shortly after takeoff, the pilot experienced engine issues and decided to return to Gainesville to land.
"The airplane didn't have enough power to make it to the airport, so the pilot made a forced landing on a roadway, where the plane struck three vehicles," wrote Peter Knudson, media relations officer for the NTSB.
Witnesses and locals quickly took to social media to describe what they saw—and to commend the pilot’s skill under pressure.
“Oh my goodness! Glad no serious injuries were reported. That pilot had some skills and quick thinking for sure,” Gainesville resident Nancy Steptoe wrote on the department’s Facebook post. “But, can you imagine the person in the car having to call their insurance agent?! How do you explain to GEICO or whoever that you were hit by a plane?!?!”
Another commenter, Stuart Baker of Demorest, also praised the pilot’s actions: “1st of all, I commend that pilot for saving himself and his passengers without seriously injuring any people driving on that busy road! 2nd... how did he manage to get through all the power lines? Insanely talented pilot! Good job!”
Deanna Campbell, a Gainesville resident who said she witnessed the emergency landing, described the scene as “a miracle.” She wrote, “I just happen to be there and the pilot did a fantastic job landing the plane! Everyone walked away with just small injuries.”