Small airplane crashes on a highway, hits 3 cars, and splits in two
You see a lot of crazy things on Texas highways. Seemingly inexplicable pickup truck rollovers, abysmal road etiquette, and wild traffic consistency are the norm. However, you likely don’t expect to see a little twin-engine airplane whizzing over traffic on an access road before crashing into three cars and snapping in half.
A small airplane crashed into three cars near a Texas highway, leading to multiple injuries and cutting the aircraft into two
It was around 3:00 p.m. in Victoria, Texas when motorists noticed a low-flying airplane in apparent distress. The airplane, a small, twin-engine Piper PA-31 Navajo, dropped to below 1,000 feet and swept over traffic on a highway access road. Drivers described hearing the propeller-driven Piper “sputtering” as it struggled for altitude.
Unfortunately, the white PA-31 didn’t make it far. It crashed onto the road below, striking three cars and breaking into two pieces in the process. Footage shows a badly damaged SUV turned on its side and a stationary Toyota Camry. In addition to the first two vehicles, a maroon SUV was tucked up under the Piper’s wing and port-side engine. Understandably, the SUV under the wing sustained the most damage in the crash. It’s difficult to identify the make and model from the wreckage.
The aircraft reportedly departed the regional airport in Victoria, Texas. The pilot, who works for a Mississippi-based land surveying company, was the sole occupant of the aircraft, per the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). One injured party required an emergency medevac flight to an out-of-town hospital. The tail section of the aircraft sheered off from the rest of the fuselage, sending it against a nearby light pole.
Miraculously, no one died in the wild incident. The reason for the crash is a hot topic of debate for the experts in social media comments sections. One commenter claimed that the aircraft’s limited fuel capacity and time in the air may have led to “probable fuel starvation.” However, the crash is under investigation by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Watch a video below of the low-flying aircraft zooming above cars before crashing into the road!
