Officials said that two people who survived after being on a single-engine plane that crashed in Tennessee earlier this week are “very lucky to be alive.”
The incident occurred on the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 19, when the engine of the aircraft went out, resulting in the plane crashing in the 4600 block of Shallowford Road in Chattanooga, the Chattanooga Fire Department (CFD) said in a Facebook post.
“One person was out of the plane on CFD’s arrival and one other party had to be extricated by Chattanooga firefighters. He was trapped and trying to get himself out,” said the CFD. “Firefighters cut pieces of metal and removed a portion of the plane to free him from the wreckage as the aircraft was simultaneously stabilized by our crews.”
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The two people from the plane were taken to the hospital with what appeared to be minor injuries, said authorities.
The incident occurred a half a mile from a nearby airport runway, the CFD said, noting that the plane somehow managed to avoid the traffic on Shallowford Road during rush hour.
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Instead, the plane crashed “on the side of the road just down from the intersection of Shallowford Road and Airport Road.”
In an email to PEOPLE on Thursday, Nov. 21. the National Transportation Safety Board said it had no further information about the crash, and that the agency will release its preliminary report in about 30 days.
Air traffic audio shared by ABC affiliate WTVC on Wednesday, Nov. 20, revealed when the pilot of the plane, described as a Cessna Skyhawk, realized something was wrong before the crash.
“We’ve got a rough-running motor, we’re going to have to come back immediately,” someone could be heard saying in the air traffic audio.
Crystal Air Inc., a company which WTVC described as the flight group linked to the downed plane, issued a statement on Nov. 19.
“A Crystal Air, Inc Cessna 172 was involved in an accident this evening,” said the company. “The pilot and instructor were both able to walk away, and were taken to local hospital for evaluation. We are cooperating with the local and federal officials in this matter. We appreciate your prayers during this time.”
Shallowford Road was closed following the crash and later reopened for two-way traffic, NBC affiliate WRCB reported.
Crews cleared the plane’s wreckage from Shallowford Road on Nov. 20, WTVC reported.
