A pilot whose plane burst into flames when he crash-landed on a motorway after clipping an 18-wheeler truck amazed rescuers by escaping unharmed.
The 63-year-old single-engined prop plane lost power as it approached a runway in Harris County, Texas state, USA, on 22nd January.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials said that the plane bounced off a truck and hit a concrete barrier before catching fire.
Images show the stricken plane, a Beechcraft Bonanza M35, nose down on the tarmac with smoke pouring from the cockpit.
The pilot – said to be from Detroit – reportedly clambered out without injury.
It is not known if there were any passengers.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the plane clipped a trailer and hit a concrete barrier before catching fire after it crash landed on the highway.
Newsflash obtained a statement from the Texas Department of Public Safety – Southeast Texas Region on Sunday, 22nd January, saying: “DPS [Department of Public Safety] Troopers and the HCSO [Harris County Sheriff’s Office] are at the scene of a plane crash on the northbound lanes of SH-99 between Cypress Rosehill Road and Telge Road.
“The pilot is not reporting any injuries at this time. Please avoid the area.”
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Beechcraft M35s have been in production since 1947 when their aluminium body and 200mph cruising speed were thought revolutionary.
But they quickly picked up the unfortunate nickname of ‘forked-tail doctor killer’ due to crashes by overconfident wealthy amateur pilots.
