A flight instructor and student were hospitalized Friday night after an instructional flight crashed into the roof of the Cooper Lighting building on U.S. 61 South.
The pair, whose names were not released late Friday, were on an instructional flight from Vicksburg Municipal Airport when they “began having problems” with the ultra-light single-engine plane at about 3:50 p.m., Vicksburg police Chief Walter Armstrong said.
The plane attempted to turn around but crashed into the building before it could reach the airport, he said. It appears the pilot was at the controls of the plane when it crashed.Cooper Lighting, 5035 U.S. 61 South, is about one mile north of Vicksburg Municipal Airport.
“There is some damage to the roof. I’m not really sure of the extent of it,” Armstrong said.
The pilot appeared to be suffering from facial lacerations, and the student, who Armstrong said appeared to be suffering from back injuries, was taken from the rooftop on a stretcher.
No Cooper employees were injured, he said. The building was evacuated while police and firefighters removed the injured pilot and passenger from the plane. It was unclear Friday night when production at Cooper would resume.
“We’re very fortunate that this wasn’t a very serious situation,” Armstrong said.
Both the pilot and student were taken by ambulance to River Regional Medical Center.
Cooper produces electrical lighting systems, circuit protectors, wiring devices, power distribution and transmission systems. The Vicksburg plant opened in 1987 where Westinghouse once operated and has an annual payroll of about $12 billion to 350 employees.