DAWSON COUNTY, Ga. — Two people were critically injured Sunday after a small plane crashed into a wooded area near Highway 183 in Dawson County, prompting a federal investigation into what caused the aircraft to go down.

Deputies with the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office and personnel with Dawson County Emergency Services responded around noon Sunday, Aug. 9, to reports of a possible downed aircraft near Elliott Field.

The National Transportation Safety Board identified the aircraft as a Piper PA-32-300. Preliminary information indicates the plane crashed into trees northeast of Elliott Field.

Emergency personnel found one occupant outside the aircraft when they arrived. A second person was trapped in the wreckage and had to be extricated. Both occupants were reported to be in critical condition following the crash.

The identities of the two people aboard have not been publicly released, and no additional verified information regarding their conditions was immediately available Tuesday.

The NTSB is leading the investigation in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration. While reports have indicated the aircraft may have experienced a loss of engine power before the crash, federal investigators have not yet established an official cause.

The Dawson County Sheriff’s Office said it will not release additional information regarding the incident and has directed future media inquiries to the NTSB.

A preliminary NTSB report is expected to provide additional details about the flight and circumstances surrounding the crash as the investigation continues.