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Canton Today
By the People, for the People
Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing on Busy Georgia Road, Strikes Three Vehicles
Two people suffered minor injuries after the plane lost engine power shortly after takeoff.
Published on Feb. 10, 2026
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A single-engine Hawker Beechcraft Bonanza plane made an emergency landing on Browns Bridge Road in Gainesville, Georgia, after experiencing engine trouble shortly after takeoff from Gainesville's Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport. The plane struck three vehicles during the landing, with two people sustaining minor injuries. The pilot reported losing engine power and was unable to make it back to the airport.
Why it matters
Emergency landings on busy public roads are extremely rare and dangerous events that can put many lives at risk. This incident highlights the skill of the pilots in avoiding a more serious accident and the importance of proper aircraft maintenance and emergency planning.
The details
The plane was headed to Cherokee County Regional Airport in Canton from Gainesville when it experienced engine problems just after takeoff. The pilot reported the issue to air traffic control, saying 'I think we're not going to make it' and asking them to tell his wife and parents that he loved them. The plane then landed on Browns Bridge Road, a major artery through northeast Georgia, striking three vehicles. A fuel tank was dislodged into one of the cars, but remarkably only two people suffered minor injuries.
- The emergency landing occurred on Monday, February 10, 2026.
- The plane lost engine power shortly after takeoff from Gainesville's Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport.
The players
Thomas Rogers
The pilot of the Hawker Beechcraft Bonanza plane that made the emergency landing.
Hawker Beechcraft Bonanza
The single-engine plane that experienced engine trouble and made the emergency landing on the Georgia road.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
The federal agency that investigates transportation accidents and incidents.
Gainesville Police Department
The local law enforcement agency that responded to the emergency landing incident.
What they’re saying
“I think we're not going to make it. Please tell my wife, Molly, I love her, and my parents. I love them so much.”
— Thomas Rogers, Pilot (LiveATC.net)
“We lost our engine taking off out of Gainesville. We tried to glide back, did everything by the book, but realized we weren't going to make it back with how far out we were, so we came down on the road.”
— Thomas Rogers, Pilot (WAGA-TV)
“The fact that they were able to land in the middle of hundreds of vehicles and only hit three of them, no power lines is very remarkable. The fact that no one was seriously injured or killed is just astonishing.”
— Kevin Holbrook, Gainesville Police Captain (Gainesville Police Department)
What’s next
The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the engine failure and the emergency landing, with a full report expected within the next several months.
The takeaway
This incident highlights the skill and quick thinking of the pilots in safely landing the plane on a busy road and avoiding a potentially catastrophic accident. It also underscores the importance of proper aircraft maintenance and emergency planning to mitigate risks when engine failures or other issues arise during flight.
