Silke Jasso
A pilot survived a pretty close call after making an emergency landing on a busy highway in Texas. According to the Texas Department of Safety, the single-agent airplane crashed on the Northbound side of SH-99 late Sunday morning. The aircraft clipped an 18-wheeler while it made its landing, according to NBC KPRC-TV. It then hit a barrier and quickly caught on fire in the middle of the highway.
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Footage of the scary incident was posted on Twitter by a witness, showing dark smoke rising from the crash site. The photograph was then confirmed by the Department of Safety, showing a small plane near the Telge Road exit of the highway with its nose facing downward.
Plane Clips 18-Wheeler While Making Emergency Landing
TxDOT crews on scene of hazmat/ plane crash incident on SH 99 at Telge. Currently all eastbound lanes of SH 99 blocked at Telge. FAA on scene investigating. Once plane is removed, crews will begin hazmat cleanup. pic.twitter.com/lz3AB4UHlO
— TxDOT- HOU District (@TxDOTHouston) January 22, 2023
Luckily neither the pilot nor the driver of the 18-wheeler were injured during the incident. Speaking of reporters, the Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson stated, “We’re glad to report that he is not injured. Apparently, the plane lost power when he approached the roadway.”
The pilot was reportedly on service assignment at the time of the crash. “The pilot of a single-engine Beech M35 reported engine problems and made an emergency landing on Highway 99 near Tomball, Texas around 11:30 a.m. local time Sunday, Jan. 22,” the Federal Aviation Administration revealed in a statement.
“The aircraft clipped a trailer, hit a concrete barrier and caught fire after landing,” they went on to add. “Only the pilot was on board.” The plane’s wings were whiter than the road away and quickly caught on fire when they rubbed against the highway’s barriers. Both the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA will examine the crash, with NTSB Leading the investigation.
