17-year-old student pilot recovering after Paulding County plane crash
High school senior and aspiring pilot Grady poses for a portrait prior to sustaining severe injuries in a Sept. 3 plane crash in Paulding County. (Credit: GoFundMe)
PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. - A high school senior aspiring to become a military pilot has returned home to begin a long recovery process weeks after surviving a devastating plane crash.
What we know:
On Sept. 3, Grady, a high school senior enrolled in flight school with plans to join the U.S. Air Force as a pilot engineer, was critically injured in a plane crash, an online fundraiser stated.
"… Grady was a high school senior with his whole future ahead of him. He had been attending flight school because he dreamed of joining the Air Force, becoming a pilot engineer, and flying himself," the fundraiser said. "Then, in a matter of seconds, a devastating plane crash changed his life and the lives of everyone who loves him."
According to the Paulding County Sheriff's Office and emergency responders, a single-engine plane belonging to Dependable Aviation crashed into a wooded area off Hulseytown Road during a training flight.
The aircraft was carrying a 22-year-old flight instructor and a 17-year-old student pilot, identified by family supporters as high school senior Grady. Officials confirmed the pair were practicing routine takeoffs and landings prior to the crash. Despite sustaining severe injuries, the victims called 911 from inside the wreckage, allowing firefighters to pinpoint their location deep in the woods and pull them from the downed plane.
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CREDIT: Paulding County Sheriff's Office
Over the past two weeks, Grady underwent multiple surgeries and intensive hospitalization for severe injuries. Family representatives confirmed he is scheduled to be discharged from the hospital to continue his physical therapy and rehabilitation at home, the GoFundMe fundraiser stated.
Since Grady will require a wheelchair for several months during his rehabilitation, his family is working to make extensive accessibility modifications to their residence. Community members initially raised more than $5,000 to assist the family during his emergency hospitalization. Another fundraising effort has been launched to cover ongoing home modification costs, specialized equipment, and medical expenses not covered by insurance.
What they're saying:
Paulding County Sheriff Ashley Henson commended the rapid emergency response that saved the two aviators.
"Our Paulding County Fire team was here really, really quickly," Henson said. "Got these two individuals out of the plane."
Nearby resident Trisha Barnett previously described the harrowing scene as emergency crews rushed to the crash site.
"Just super scary at the moment," Barnett said. "I pray that they're okay, and they'll come through everything."
What we don't know:
Federal investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have not yet determined what caused the aircraft to go down.
Federal authorities noted that completing the full crash inquiry and publishing a final report will take time.
What's next:
Grady will transition to home-based physical therapy and outpatient rehabilitation as federal investigators with the NTSB and FAA continue examining the crash site and aircraft remnants.
What you can do:
Those who would like to contribute directly to the family's verified GoFundMe campaign to help cover Grady's ongoing medical bills and home accessibility modifications as he returns home in a wheelchair can do so by clicking here.
The Source: Information in this report was provided directly by previous FOX 5 Atlanta reports, the Paulding County Sheriff's Office, Paulding County Fire Rescue, federal aviation officials, and updates published on a verified online family fundraiser.