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Florida: Commuters on Interstate 95 experienced a scene straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster on Monday evening when a small plane, battling engine trouble, made a harrowing emergency landing directly onto the busy highway, striking a moving car in a collision captured on dramatic video released by authorities.
The astonishing incident unfolded around 5:45 pm on December 8th, in the southbound lanes of I-95, just south of State Road 520 near Cocoa. A Beechcraft 55 fixed-wing aircraft, owned by Tailwinds Flying out of Merritt Island, was forced into an unexpected descent after its 27-year-old Orlando pilot reported engine problems.
Driver sustains minor injuries
The plane directly impacted a 2023 Toyota Camry travelling along the interstate. The driver of the Camry, a 57-year-old Melbourne woman whose name has not been released, sustained only minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment, confirmed Brevard County Fire Rescue officials.
Videos quickly circulating on social media showed the woman being assisted out of her heavily damaged Toyota. She was visibly shaken but composed, even managing a nervous laugh as she asked onlookers, "Do you know how much I loved my car?" and "Am I the only one who got hit?" An emergency worker was heard exclaiming, "God is good," a sentiment echoed by many witnessing the aftermath.
Neither the pilot nor his 27-year-old male passenger from Temple Terrace, whose identities also remain undisclosed, was injured in the terrifying crash. The aircraft ultimately came to rest partially on top of a concrete barrier.
Traffic snarl and dual investigations
The extraordinary event, occurring during the peak evening commute, caused significant disruption, with the inside and centre southbound lanes of I-95 shut down for hours, slowing traffic to a crawl throughout the night.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) have launched independent investigations into the collision. The FAA will serve as the lead agency, working to determine the precise cause of the engine failure and the circumstances leading to the highway landing.
A pattern of unscheduled landings
Adding to the peculiar nature of Monday's incident, this marks the second time within a month that a small plane has touched down on a major Brevard County roadway. On Thursday, November 7th, an unidentified small aircraft made an unscheduled landing on the grass alongside State Road 407, between I-95 and State Road 528, without incident. That investigation remains ongoing.
