Plane crash-lands near elementary school, playground

LEBANON, Tenn. (WSMV/Gray News) – A small plane crash-landed near a Tennessee elementary school on Tuesday evening.

The plane crashed near Byers Dowdy Elementary School in Lebanon just before 6:30 p.m. Officers said students were at school when the plane landed, but they were not outside, and no one was hurt.

Officers on scene said a coned area in the parking lot marks where they believe the plane first hit before coming to rest in a grassy area feet away from the playground equipment.

Federal Aviation Administration investigators were out early Wednesday surveying the area.

Neighbor describes response

Justin Muir, who lives directly across the street from where the plane ended up, ran to the scene to help.

“It kind of sounded like someone drove off into the ditch here. I thought it was a car accident at first,” Muir said. “The man that was there before me was a pilot himself and he said it sounded like his engine cut out and he couldn’t get his landing gear down.”

Muir also described what he saw before reaching the site.

“I saw a flash kind of fly by the window,” Muir said. “I ran over to make sure everybody was alright. Another guy beat me there and by time I got there, the pilot was stepping out of the cockpit and stood up and he was fine.”