Two 27-year-olds killed when small plane crashes in Georgia

A small plane crashed Wednesday night in northwestern Georgia, killing two people onboard.

The crash happened in the western part of Paulding County, the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Thursday morning.

According to the sheriff’s office, the owner of the small plane called authorities around 1:43 p.m. Wednesday when the plane didn’t make it back when it was supposed to. The owner tracked the plane to its last known location near Crawford Road, in western Paulding County.

When authorities searched the area, they found a 1974 Grumman American Aviation Corporation AA-5 fixed wing single engine aircraft crashed nose down in a wooded area.

Inside the plane were 27-year-old flight instructor Sungwook Lee of Daytona Beach, Florida and flight student Johnathan Lara from Powder Springs, Georgia, also 27 years old. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Detectives looked at flight records and learned the plane left the Paulding County Airport at 10:24 a.m. The aircraft was last seen on the flight tracker near Crawford Road at 11:21 a.m.  According to a statement from the National Transportation Safety Board, the crash happened around 2:17 p.m.

"The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate," the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement to USA TODAY Thursday morning. "The (National Transportation Safety Board) will lead the investigation and will provide any updates."

NTSB said the agency's investigator will document and examine the scene. After that, the aircraft will then be recovered to a secure facility for further evaluation, the statement read.

The NTSB plans to gather information such as flight track data, recordings of air traffic control communications, aircraft maintenance records and weather conditions, among other details.

The NTSB will also get witness statements and look at electronic devices that may have relevant information, as well as surveillance video, including from doorbell cameras.

The NTSB said in its statement that a preliminary report will be available within 30 days and a final report is expected in 12 to 24 months.   

The agency said witnesses or those who have surveillance video or other information can email witness@ntsb.gov. Detectives also ask that anyone who saw the plane contact the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at (770) 443-3047.      

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at@SaleenMartin or email her atsdmartin@usatoday.com.