Pilot from Gainesville killed in ultralight plane crash in Cleveland

Nick Watson, The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
·1 min read

Jul. 12—A Gainesville man was killed when an ultralight plane he was flying crashed in Cleveland, according to authorities.

Lee Olson, 79, died Sunday, July 10, after being airlifted to Northeast Georgia Medical Center after the crash.

White County Public Safety Director David Murphy said the 911 center received a call after 1 p.m. Friday regarding the crash.

Witnesses told authorities that the plane took off from the runway and made a hard left bank, or turn, before going to the ground. The plane hit a building before coming to a stop on the ground, Murphy said.

Olson was critically injured and taken to the hospital, Murphy said.

The crash is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

An NTSB spokeswoman said a preliminary report will be published 15 days after the crash, and the full investigation will take one to two years to finish.