The FAA released preliminary information Saturday on the incident that occurred at the Gainesville airport Friday night.
A brief statement noted that the aircraft was a Cessna 150 and that a passenger made “a hard landing” after the pilot experienced a medical emergency. They were the only people on board when the early evening incident occurred.
There was no information on who owned the plane, where the flight originated, or the names of the passenger and pilot. That information, the statement said, will come later and an official preliminary report will likely be available Monday because they are usually available the next business day.
(Pictured: Cessna 150 similar to the one involved in the incident.)
EARLIER STORY. POSTED FRIDAY NIGHT: A plane made an emergency landing at Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport Friday night – but the pilot was not at the controls.
“Emergency crews responded to the airport for a reported crash at around 6:30,” Gainesville Police spokesman Kevin Holbrook said. “The preliminary investigation indicates the male pilot may have had a medical issue in the air, causing his passenger to have to land the plane.”
Upon approach, the plane took a nosedive and struck the runway.
The pilot was taken in critical condition to Northeast Georgia Medical Center. The passenger was taken to the hospital for evaluation.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.