Pilot killed in Tattnall County plane crash

TATTNALL COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - A man died Wednesday evening when his small aircraft went down in Tattnall County.

Tony Zorn was operating the aircraft alone when it crashed just before 6 p.m., according to Tattnall County Sheriff Kyle Sapp. Multiple agencies responded to the scene.

The FAA is still determining whether the aircraft was a plane or an ultralight vehicle, which will affect how the crash is investigated. If the aircraft is classified as an ultralight, the investigation will be handled by local law enforcement rather than federal authorities.

Crash details

According to the Tattnall County Sheriff’s Office, Tattnall County 911 received a report of a crash at about 5:59 p.m. on Highway 144 west of Glennville in the Tyson community.

Tattnall County Fire Rescue, Tattnall County EMS, the Tattnall County Emergency Management Agency, the Tattnall County Sheriff’s Office and the Glennville Fire Department responded.

The Tattnall County coroner confirmed the crash was fatal. The pilot, identified as Tony Zorn of Lyons, Georgia, died in the crash. Authorities said he was the only person on board and that his family has been notified.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airmen Registry, Zorn was issued a private pilot certificate on Feb. 26, 2020.

FAA working to determine whether aircraft was an ultralight

It remains unclear who will ultimately investigate the crash, as the FAA said it is working to determine whether the vehicle involved was a registered aircraft or an unregistered ultralight vehicle.

In a statement to WTOC, the FAA said, “We are trying to determine if it was a registered aircraft or an unregistered ultralight vehicle. An ultralight vehicle does not meet the criteria necessary to be defined as an aircraft. The FAA defers the investigation of the accident to local law enforcement.”

An ultralight is a lightweight, typically single-seat vehicle flown for recreation or as a hobby. A pilot license is not required to fly an ultralight because it is considered a vehicle, not an aircraft.

To be considered an ultralight, the vehicle must weigh less than 254 pounds and cannot fly faster than 55 knots, or about 60 miles per hour. If it meets those specifications, it is not registered with the FAA.

Because of that, neither the FAA nor the National Transportation Safety Board investigates ultralight crashes. If the craft involved in this crash is determined to be an ultralight, the investigation would be turned over to local authorities.

“It’s a vehicle, it’s not an aircraft,” said Benjamin Behnke, a pilot and aviation expert. “Since it’s considered a vehicle, and it’s not registered to the FAA, it’s a vehicle to that state and that’s the reason why the FAA won’t touch it.”

The NTSB has told WTOC it will not be investigating the incident as the craft appears to be an ultralight, but the FAA has not confirmed whether the investigation has been turned over to local law enforcement.

Community remembers Zorn

Community members took to social media to remember Zorn, who was known for his frequent low-altitude flights over the area.

Keith Anderson, a friend, said residents would stop what they were doing when they heard Zorn’s aircraft approaching.

“If when we heard him, we’d hear him, we’d stop what we were doing. We’d run out here in the road and wave him on,” Anderson said. “You know, if he didn’t stop, he’d come by. And he’d go up and down and circle around. And we’re going to miss him when he’s, yeah, we sure are.”

Anderson said the community will cherish the memories of Zorn’s visits and the sound of his aircraft.

“Just a good old fellow. But he’d come through pretty regular. And he’d ride the river. They say he’d ride that river and put one tire in the water riding through there. Them people on the sandbar, they cheered him on,” said Anderson.

Another community member shared a video of Zorn flying a plane over the water.

See video below: