A vintage 1930s military plane crashed in the woods in eastern Coweta County Sunday evening, a few hours after the conclusion of the Wings Over Dixie 2000 air show.

The Navion aircraft was not involved in the actual show, according to a Wings Over Dixie spokesman, but the plane is based at Falcon Field in Peachtree City.

The incident took place shortly after 7 p.m. Sunday, near Christopher and Reese roads about four miles from the airport, Coweta County Sheriff's Department Capt. Jim Yarbrough said.

The plane landed in a wooded area with no buildings nearby, and no one on the ground was hurt, Yarbrough said.

The pilot, Gary Hall, was taken to Newnan Hospital, where he was treated for some lacerations and kept overnight for observation. A passenger, Jerd Gambert, was taken to Southern Regional Medical Center, where he was treated and released. Passenger Juergen Badura was treated at the scene and did not require a trip to the hospital.

Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration were on the scene Sunday night and most of Monday morning, according to Yarbrough. Their investigation is ongoing.

Back to News Home Page | Back to the top of the page