Plane Crash Near Gwinnett County Airport in Lawrenceville Sparks Investigation Into Velocity 173 FGELITE

Federal investigators are examining a fatal plane crash near Gwinnett County Airport in Lawrenceville after one man died and another was injured Tuesday. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.

The single-engine plane came down in woods near homes on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, about a mile southeast of the airport. Two men were aboard.

The emergency call came in around 5:30 p.m. That was the call time, not a confirmed time of impact. Firefighters arrived at 5:39 p.m. in the 1000 block of Old Athens Road.

Both occupants were trapped. One man died, and crews freed the other, who was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. The Gwinnett County Medical Examiner's Office responded, and fire officials said the man's family was notified at the scene.

Investigators have not determined what caused the crash

Gwinnett County Fire Department spokesperson Jessica Joyner said the aircraft was attempting to land and had departed from Briscoe Field. She also described the tower's notification to 911 dispatchers about an engine problem.

The cause remains under investigation, and no probable cause has been determined.

The Federal Aviation Administration also responded. Gwinnett County police are expected to secure the wreckage as investigators examine the crash.

Unofficial accident databases identify the amateur-built aircraft as a Velocity 173 FGELITE, registration N776TB, with Gratton Gilles listed as its manufacturer. That identification is not an investigative finding. Firefighters found no active fire when they reached the scene.

Police planned to secure the wreckage near two roads

Fire officials said a closure was planned at Rock House Road SE and Old Athens Road SE. They did not describe it as a continuing closure.

Drivers near those roads should check with Gwinnett County police for the current status before traveling through the area.