Small plane crashes near Paulding County airport, leaving flight student and instructor critically injured

An 18-year-old flight student and his 22-year-old instructor survived a small-plane crash in Paulding County, then helped rescuers locate them by calling 911 from the wreckage, authorities said.

The single-engine plane went down shortly before 8:06 p.m. Thursday in a wooded area off Hulseytown Road, east of Paulding Northwest Atlanta Airport, according to the Paulding County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies and firefighters arrived around 8:09 p.m. and found the plane approximately a quarter-mile into the woods. Both men were removed from the aircraft and taken to area hospitals in critical condition.

"I think probably the most important thing to talk about right now is the fact that we've got two individuals who were in the plane at the time of the crash, and they are both alive," Paulding County Sheriff Ashley Henson said during a news conference.

Henson said the men were conscious and speaking when rescuers reached them.

Authorities believe someone aboard the plane called 911 and provided dispatchers with a general location, helping emergency crews find the wreckage quickly.

"Our firefighters and deputies went to work and got both men out of that plane extraordinarily fast," Henson said.

Approximately 10 Paulding County Fire Department units responded to the crash. Emergency crews found no fire or other hazardous conditions that posed a threat to the surrounding community, Paulding County Emergency Management Director Stephen Dooley said.

Investigators have not determined what caused the crash or whether the crew reported an emergency before the plane went down. Henson said the aircraft appeared to be pointed away from the airport, but authorities do not yet know what it was doing before the crash.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were notified and are expected to investigate. 

The names of the two men have not been released. The sheriff's office said it plans to provide another update after consulting with federal investigators.