After Mechanical Trouble, Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing on Florida Highway, Clips Truck in Wild Video
Landing near Interstate 75
The incident took place close to Bayshore Road and I-75, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. The plane came down on a busy road and hit the back of a moving pickup.
The sheriff’s office said both pilots were aboard when a mechanical issue led them to attempt an emergency landing. Deputies reported no injuries at the scene, and CNN reported that nobody on the ground was hurt.
Driver describes the descent
Brandon Hinson, who was driving a truck and trailer on the road, told WGCU that he saw the aircraft descend with its nose angled down. He said it struck the left lane, bounced into the center lane and continued into a turn lane.
Flight timing and inquiry
Flight-tracking data indicated the plane departed Sebring, Florida, at about 11 a.m. and landed around 11:50 a.m., CBS12 reported. The sheriff’s office said the FAA is the lead agency for Saturday’s incident and will take over the investigation.
The specific mechanical problem has not been disclosed, CBS12 reported. The report also noted that a Learjet 60 crashed on a Palm Beach County road on Nov. 1, killing all nine people aboard; the NTSB is leading that investigation with FAA support.
Key points
- A small plane struck a pickup while landing on a road near I-75 in the Fort Myers area.
- The sheriff’s office said a mechanical issue prompted the two pilots to attempt an emergency landing.
- No injuries were reported among the pilots or people on the ground.
- The FAA is leading the investigation, and the mechanical failure has not been identified publicly.