PICKENS COUNTY, Ga. — A pilot was taken to the hospital after having to make a "soft landing" on the side of a highway in Pickens County Friday afternoon, the sheriff said.
The frightening moment happened around 11:30 a.m. off Highway 53 near Hill City in Jasper, Pickens County Sheriff Donnie Craig said.
The pilot of a single-engine Vans RV9A was having technical difficulties and tried to land in a nearby field, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The sheriff said the pilot was caught by a gust of wind and made a "soft landing" off the highway.
The FAA said the aircraft's wing hit a light pole upon its emergency landing. Only the pilot was on board.
Photos and video appear to show the small plane just off the side of the road as law enforcement officers tend to the scene.
Sheriff Craig said the pilot was life-lighted to a hospital with unknown injuries but appeared to be OK.
The FAA and the National Transportation Board (NTSB) are investigating the incident.