Small plane traveling from Miami crashes in Atlanta metro neighborhood; 2 injured
A small twin-engine plane crashed into a Doraville homeowner's backyard on Sunday morning after experiencing engine trouble just miles from its destination, authorities said.
The six-seater Beechcraft King Air B90 went down around 9:35 a.m., about three miles from DeKalb-Peachtree Airport. DeKalb County police said the plane struck trees before crashing near 2692 Homeland Drive in Doraville. Officials said the aircraft did not directly strike any homes or other structures.
DeKalb County Fire Rescue officials said the plane was only a couple of miles from the runway when the crew reported engine trouble. The plane had departed from Miami earlier that morning.
"They decided they were gonna try to ground it," said DeKalb County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Kevin Cavanaugh. "They hit the pine trees about 80 or 90 feet up and basically stopped at the trees and landed straight down in between two houses. No structures involved."
Two people were on board at the time of the crash. DeKalb County police confirmed both were transported to the hospital in stable condition. Fire officials said the injuries were minor, including scratches, with no broken bones reported.
Cavanaugh said both occupants were able to walk away from the wreckage, and he spoke with them at the scene.
"Considering the conditions, they seemed like they were in good shape for what they've been through," he said.
There was no fire following the crash.
Doraville police shut down several nearby streets as crews worked the scene and dealt with a large debris field.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it has opened an investigation̄ investigation into Sunday morning's crash. Its investigation will focus on three main areas: the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment. Investigators will review flight track data, air traffic control communications, aircraft maintenance records and the pilot's license, ratings and recent flight experience.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has surveillance video or other information is asked to contact the NTSB at witness@ntsb.gov.
The FAA and NTSB are leading the investigation.