One killed in crash of small plane in Peachtree City

Published 9:26 am Friday, August 4, 2006

PEACHTREE CITY — The pilot of a small plane was killed Thursday in a crash after taking off from a municipal airfield south of Atlanta, a federal official said.

The experimental home-built plane — a Sky Star Vixen — crashed about 7:55 a.m. after taking off from Falcon Field in Peachtree City, according to Corky Smith, senior air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board in Atlanta.

Authorities identified the pilot as Leo Giles, 54, of Peachtree City.

Les Dorr of the Federal Aviation Administration office in Washington said the single-engine plane took off from Falcon Field and then crashed into a nearby golf course. He said preliminary reports indicate only the pilot was on board.

The field was closed immediately after the crash, but it reopened a short time later.

Falcon Field is a small municipal airport in Peachtree City, about 30 miles south of Atlanta. The National Weather Service Forecast Office for Atlanta also is located at the airport.