CORBIN, Ky. — A brush with death couldn't keep Bill Fortney from pursuing his passion for aerial photography.

        Thursday, Mr. Fortney's new book, America From 500 Feet (162 pages; NorthWord Press), was released. It is a compilation of 160 photos Mr. Fortney and his son shot over a 14-month journey across 48 states.

        But the elder Mr. Fortney, a Harlan native who's been taking pictures professionally for almost 30 years, almost didn't see the book through.

        Just weeks after beginning the project, he went out for a routine training flight near London, Ky.

        Seconds into the October 1999 flight, Mr. Fortney heard the engine sputter, and the aircraft crashed.

        “I really wasn't sure if I was alive or dead,” Mr. Fortney said.

        It would be nearly three months before Mr. Fortney would return to the air.

        Paul Haber, an ultra-light aircraft pilot who helped Mr. Fortney learn how to fly after the crash, said the book gives readers a chance to see the world from an ultra-lightflier's perspective. He said the speed of the craft (between 40 and 60 mph) and its low altitude make it perfect for viewing nature.

        “It gives an entirely different perspective from flying in an airplane,” Mr. Haber said. “By going a little slower, he saw a lot of things other people didn't notice.”

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