Plane Makes Emergency Landing on Busy Georgia Road, Strikes 3 Vehicles

Two people suffered minor injuries after the single-engine plane lost 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 a busy road in Gainesville, Georgia, striking three vehicles and leaving two people with minor injuries. The plane had experienced engine trouble shortly after takeoff from Gainesville's Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport and was unable to make it to the nearby Cherokee County Regional Airport.

Why it matters

Emergency landings on public roads are extremely rare and dangerous, raising concerns about aviation safety and the ability of pilots to safely land planes when mechanical issues arise. The fact that the plane only struck three vehicles and caused only minor injuries is being viewed as a remarkable outcome given the chaotic nature of the incident.

The details

The plane was headed from Gainesville to Canton when the pilot reported engine trouble to air traffic control. In the recorded audio, the pilot can be heard telling controllers to let his wife and parents know he loved them, indicating he feared the plane may not make it. However, the pilot was ultimately able to safely land the plane on Browns Bridge Road in Gainesville, striking three vehicles in the process. A fuel tank was dislodged into one of the vehicles, but police said the fact that no one was seriously injured or killed was 'astonishing' given the circumstances.

  • The incident 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.

Gainesville Police Department

The local law enforcement agency that responded to the emergency landing and reported on the incident.

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What they’re saying

“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, Captain, Gainesville Police Department (WRAL.com)

What’s next

The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the engine failure that led to the emergency landing.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the skill and quick thinking of the pilots involved, who were able to safely land a disabled plane on a busy road without causing any fatalities. It also underscores the potential dangers of engine failures in small aircraft and the importance of robust aviation safety protocols.