Four dead after plane crashes on Atlanta interstate

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ATLANTA (AP) — A truck driver says the small plane that crashed on an Atlanta interstate highway this morning had grazed the hood of his tractor-trailer before hitting the median wall.

Gerald Smith says he tried to walk over to the wreckage, but that it was burning so badly, there was no way to try to help anyone out of the plane.

All four people aboard the plane died. The Federal Aviation Administration says the plane apparently developed trouble soon after taking off from DeKalb (deh-KAB') Peachtree Airport.

One motorist says he saw the plane nearly hit a highway traffic light pole. Don McGhee says, "It looked like it was struggling." He says the plane "was edging up, and then it just dropped." And then "it was just a huge fire, just smoke and fire."

A fire captain says it's "a miracle" that no other cars were hit.

Emergency officials shut down Interstate 285 in both directions, causing large traffic jams. They said some lanes near the crash could be closed for eight hours.

%@AP Links

189-a-05-(Don McGhee, who saw the plane crash as he was about to turn onto the ramp to get onto Interstate 285, in AP interview)-"I'm still here"-Eyewitness Don McGhee says the plane was flying very low right over him before it crashed. (8 May 2015)

<<CUT *189 (05/08/15)££ 00:05 "I'm still here"

187-a-08-(Don McGhee, who saw the plane crash as he was about to turn onto the ramp to get onto Interstate 285, in AP interview)-"hit the wall"-Don McGhee saw the crash happen right in front of a tractor trailer on Interstate 285. (8 May 2015)

<<CUT *187 (05/08/15)££ 00:08 "hit the wall"

APPHOTO GADG114: An investigator looks at the wreckage of a plane that crashed on Interstate 285, Friday, May 8, 2015, in Doraville, Ga. A small passenger airplane crashed into an Atlanta interstate Friday, killing all four people aboard and starting an intense fire on the busy road, authorities said. (AP Photo/David Goldman) (8 May 2015)

<<APPHOTO GADG114 (05/08/15)££

APPHOTO GADG113: Traffic backs up on Interstate 285 West as the highway is closed after a plane crashed on the eastbound lanes, Friday, May 8, 2015, in Doraville, Ga. A small passenger airplane crashed into an Atlanta interstate Friday, killing all four people aboard and starting an intense fire on the busy road, authorities said. (AP Photo/David Goldman) (8 May 2015)

<<APPHOTO GADG113 (05/08/15)££