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

Two people suffered minor injuries after the Hawker Beechcraft BE-36 landed on Browns Bridge Road in Gainesville.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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A single-engine plane made an emergency landing on a busy road in Gainesville, Georgia, striking three vehicles and leaving two people with minor injuries, authorities said. The Hawker Beechcraft BE-36 landed on Browns Bridge Road, about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta, due to reported engine issues.

Why it matters

Emergency landings on public roads are extremely rare and can pose significant risks to drivers and pedestrians. However, in this case, the pilot was able to land the plane safely without any major injuries, highlighting the skill and quick thinking required in such a high-pressure situation.

The details

According to the pilot, Thomas Rogers, they 'lost our engine taking off out of Gainesville' and tried to glide back but realized they wouldn't make it, so they landed on the road. The plane struck three cars, dislodging a fuel tank into one of them. Gainesville police Capt. Kevin Holbrook said the fact that only three vehicles were hit and no one was seriously injured or killed is 'just astonishing' given that the road is a major artery through the area.

  • The emergency landing occurred on Monday.

The players

Thomas Rogers

The pilot of the Hawker Beechcraft BE-36 plane that made the emergency landing.

Kevin Holbrook

A captain with the Gainesville Police Department who commented 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, Police Captain (wbal.com)

What’s next

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the engine failure and the emergency landing.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the skill and quick thinking required of pilots when faced with engine failure, as well as the potential dangers of emergency landings on public roads. However, the fact that the pilot was able to land the plane safely without any major injuries is a testament to their training and the importance of aviation safety protocols.