Dances with Mice
11-28-2005, 15:10
Plane crashes in Union County
Search on for woman missing after accident
By BILL MONTGOMERY
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 11/28/05
A full-scale search is under way this morning in the mountains of North Georgia for a Tattnall County woman missing from a small plane that crashed Sunday afternoon.
Matt Griffin with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said the search is concentrated just north of Vogel State Park in Union County, about 10 miles south of Blairsville in the area of Slaughter Mountain.
The pilot, whose plane is based at Metter airport, is Randy W. Hackle, 56, of Cobbtown, said a family member. His wife, Barbara Hackle, 52, is missing.
"The only prayer we have is that they find her safe," said Jeanne Lively, a niece. Randy Hackle was found this morning. He said his wife ejected from the plane before it crashed, Griffin said.
The pilot "was able to walk away, apparently, though I don't know the extent of his injuries," Griffin said. "He wasn't really sure what happened to his wife. He was disoriented, and may have a concussion.
"We understand he spent the night in a shelter, [after the crash] but I don't have any more details."
Randy Griffin was taken to Gainesville Medical Center in Hall County.
The crash site was discovered around 10:40 a.m. today less than a mile outside Vogel State Park.
The aircraft, possibly a Piper prop plane, departed from an airport in Murphy or Andrews, N.C., around 1 p.m. Sunday, en route to Metter, in southeast Georgia's Candler County, Griffin said.
"There was no report of any engine trouble, or a distress call," Griffin said. "We don't know what caused the crash."
Griffin said DNR, U.S. Forest Service rangers and Union County search and rescue units are searching "about a two-mile area of pretty rough country."
Search on for woman missing after accident
By BILL MONTGOMERY
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 11/28/05
A full-scale search is under way this morning in the mountains of North Georgia for a Tattnall County woman missing from a small plane that crashed Sunday afternoon.
Matt Griffin with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said the search is concentrated just north of Vogel State Park in Union County, about 10 miles south of Blairsville in the area of Slaughter Mountain.
The pilot, whose plane is based at Metter airport, is Randy W. Hackle, 56, of Cobbtown, said a family member. His wife, Barbara Hackle, 52, is missing.
"The only prayer we have is that they find her safe," said Jeanne Lively, a niece. Randy Hackle was found this morning. He said his wife ejected from the plane before it crashed, Griffin said.
The pilot "was able to walk away, apparently, though I don't know the extent of his injuries," Griffin said. "He wasn't really sure what happened to his wife. He was disoriented, and may have a concussion.
"We understand he spent the night in a shelter, [after the crash] but I don't have any more details."
Randy Griffin was taken to Gainesville Medical Center in Hall County.
The crash site was discovered around 10:40 a.m. today less than a mile outside Vogel State Park.
The aircraft, possibly a Piper prop plane, departed from an airport in Murphy or Andrews, N.C., around 1 p.m. Sunday, en route to Metter, in southeast Georgia's Candler County, Griffin said.
"There was no report of any engine trouble, or a distress call," Griffin said. "We don't know what caused the crash."
Griffin said DNR, U.S. Forest Service rangers and Union County search and rescue units are searching "about a two-mile area of pretty rough country."