COVINGTON, Ga. (NewsNation) — At least two people are dead after a small plane crashed in a parking lot near an industrial plant east of Atlanta Thursday evening, authorities confirmed.
The aircraft crashed in an isolated parking lot near a General Mills facility just off Interstate 20, a major east-west artery in Georgia, sending a plume of black smoke overhead.
Crews had recovered one body as of late Thursday night, police told local TV stations.
“We are working on a lead to determine who the victims were in the crash,” Covington Police Capt. Ken Malcom said.
There were no immediate reports of any injuries to anyone on the ground.
Police said the aircraft was a Cessna twin-engine plane, local news outlet reported. The news outlet said the plane came down about 300 yards from an industrial facility into four empty tractor-trailers. According to witnesses, the plane had departed from Covington Municipal Airport around 6:45 p.m., police said.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the crash happened near an industrial building around 7 p.m.
“We don’t have additional information at this time,” said the FAA statement. It said the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.
The FAA added that more details would be released later after investigators verify the plane’s registration number.