This browser does not support the Video element.
This browser does not support the Video element.
BARROW COUNTY, Ga. - A pilot died Sunday after crashing his small plane onto a golf course in Barrow County.
Emergency personnel from Barrow and Oconee Counties responded to The Georgia Club located in Statham, GA. near Chancellor's Drive around 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
Two witnesses told investigators they were playing golf when the plane clipped some trees and then fell to the ground. The impact scattered debris over a wide area of the course. Those witnesses tried to help the pilot, but he died at the scene.
The Barrow County Coroner identified pilot as Billy K. Bryant, 81, of Dacula.
"[He] was trying to land on one of the fairways and was doing his best to try to avoid any more tragedy than what we've already had," said Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith. "So, for that I applaud him and what he [did] and he, you know, he saved some lives doing what he did."
William Regan knew Bryant and stopped by the Barrow County Airport Sunday evening to check on Bryant's hangar.
"I just wanted to make sure you know, that his belongings were, you know, taken care of, that there were people around," said Regan. "I guess, you know, maybe just a little bit of wanting to visit."
He said the pilot community is very close and word about the crash spread quickly.
"[He] made a radio call that said he was about seven miles out and quickly made another radio call that said he wasn't [going to] make it and to contact someone," Regan explained.
The National Transportation Safety Board took over the investigation into the crash with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration.
The NTSB documented the crash site Monday before allowing an airplane salvage company to tow the wreckage to its headquarters in Griffin.
"We'll take that whole aircraft--engine, propellers, assembly--to a salvage company and we'll lay that out in a salvage company and we'll inspect every component and find out mechanically if it's OK," said NTSB Investigator Dan Boggs.
Boggs said Bryant was on his way from Lawrenceville at the time of the crash. He will publish a preliminary report about the crash in the next two weeks that will outline Bryant's complete flight path.
"We don't know his route yet," said Boggs. "We're doing all of the background checks with [air traffic control] and we're trying to find out exactly where he was coming from and where he was going."
The full crash report will take up to a year to complete.
Bryant was an active volunteer for Angel Flight, which provides free air transportation for people who need to travel to receive lifesaving medical treatment, but lack the means.