Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Two men injured after their plane crashes on Florida highway

The small plane tried to make an emergency landing on I-95, but crashed into a tractor-trailer and skidded into the trees

Nathan Place
New York
Monday 31 January 2022 19:41 EST
Comments
A single-engine plane lies upside-down next to I-95 after it crashed in Flagler County, Florida

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Two people are lucky to be alive after their plane crash-landed on an interstate highway in Florida.

Photos of the scene showed the blue-and-white plane, upside-down and in pieces, in some brush next to I-95 in Flagler County. Miraculously, authorities say no one was seriously hurt.

“The #FCSO is assisting at the scene of a single-engine plane crash on I-95 north,” the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook. “The occupants sustained minor injuries and two lanes on 95 northbound will be re-opening shortly.”

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the plane was in the air around 1pm on Monday when for some reason it lost power. The pilot tried to make an emergency landing on I-95, but as the plane touched down it crashed into an oncoming truck.

“The aircraft lost power and the pilot was attempting an emergency landing on the northbound lanes of I-95,” the FHP told WESH. “As the pilot was attempting this maneuver, the aircraft’s wing collided with the tractor trailer combination and was redirected into the tree line.”

Either during the crash or as it skidded into the trees, the plane flipped over and lost a chunk of its wing. Incredibly, the two people inside were not badly injured and managed to climb out on their own.

According to WFTV, the pilot and co-pilot were two men from Port Orange, aged 57 and 34. The plane, the station said, was a 1949 Cessna 195.

The FHP says the plane took off somewhere near New Smyrna Beach and was headed toward Flagler Airport before it crashed.

On Facebook, users who read the Sheriff’s Office’s announcement were astonished that no one was killed.

“That plane probably can’t even fly as fast as the traffic goes on I-95,” one reader commented.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in