Germantown doctor injured in small plane crash

(WMC-TV) - This morning, a pilot is at the Med with broken bones and lacerations after his plane crashed in Tillatoba, Mississippi.

Dr. Kenneth Byrd of Germantown had to be cut from the small Cessna 210 early Monday morning once Yalobusha County sheriff's deputies found the wreckage.

According to the sheriff, residents reported seeing a plane sputter and crash Sunday night.

"They actually saw the plane go over the house and then thought what they heard was trees crashing or a plane crashing into the trees," said Yalobusha County Sheriff Lance Humphreys.

Deputies went out looking for the plane but were unable to find anything because it was dark and the weather was bad.

They did notify the Federal Aviation Administration of the reports. The FAA did not receive a distress call.

Deputies, fire crews, EMA, civil defense rescuers, and the FAA all joined the search.

"All night, we still didn't have confirmation that we had a downed airplane. We just thought we did," said Sheriff Humphreys.

At about 8 a.m. Monday morning, the small plane was found in a wooded area near Tillatoba. Dr. Byrd was alive inside the plane and had to be cut out. He was taken to The MED with broken bones and lacerations. He is reported to be in critical condition.

Byrd is an obstetrician and gynecologist in Germantown. Flight Aware tracking software revealed the plane is housed in Olive Branch. It was on its way to North Carolina.

"He is a lucky individual," Sheriff Humphreys said about Dr. Byrd surviving the crash.

It is unclear if weather was a factor in the crash.

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