Friday afternoon drivers in Upson County suddenly found themselves sharing U.S. Highway 19 with a World War II-era plane, after a vintage trainer made an emergency landing on the roadway. The surprise touchdown briefly blocked traffic, but no one was hurt. Deputies on scene helped move the single-engine aircraft off the highway while crews began working out how to remove it safely.
Officials Say Pilot Walked Away, Plane Landed Near John B. Gordon Road
Upson County Sheriff Dan Kilgore told CBS Atlanta the aircraft came down on Highway 19 near John B. Gordon Road shortly after 1 p.m. on Friday. According to WSB-TV, the plane, identified as a Vultee BT-13A, had been flying from Punta Gorda, Florida, to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for a vintage-aircraft event when it ran into mechanical trouble.
Historic Trainer Was Headed For Oshkosh Showcase
The Vultee BT-13A, known as the Valiant, served as the U.S. military's standard basic trainer during World War II, according to the National Air and Space Museum. This particular aircraft was bound for EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, the annual summer gathering for warbirds and homebuilts that runs July 20-26 this year, per the Experimental Aircraft Association. That timing helps explain why so many classic airplanes are on cross-country ferry flights right now.
Highway Reopened As Crews Plot How To Move Warbird
Authorities reported that no injuries occurred and said deputies were able to push the aircraft out of the travel lanes so traffic could get moving again, while crews stayed on scene to figure out the safest way to haul the plane away, CBS Atlanta noted. Officials did not immediately release additional information about the pilot or the exact nature of the mechanical issue.
WSB-TV reported the landing occurred roughly five and a half miles south of Thomaston, on a rural stretch of U.S. 19 where county deputies were first to arrive.
