Small plane hits vehicle on Florida highway in emergency landing attempt

A small plane crash-landed on Interstate 95 highway in Florida, the US, late on December 8, striking a vehicle and injuring one person, state officials reported.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the crash occurred at about 5:45 p.m. in the southbound lanes of I-95 near mile marker 201 in Cocoa, during peak traffic hours, per FOX35.

FHP said the aircraft — a Beechcraft 55 twin-engine plane — attempted an emergency landing on the interstate when it collided with a 2023 Toyota Camry. The pilot, a 27-year-old Orlando man, and his 27-year-old passenger from Temple Terrace were not injured.

The driver of the Camry, a 57-year-old woman, sustained minor injuries and was transported to Viera Hospital, authorities said.

The cause of the emergency landing remains unclear. The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to lead the investigation.

The highway was fully reopened shortly before 9 p.m.

The incident marked the second small-plane crash in Central Florida on December 8. Earlier in the day, another aircraft made an emergency landing on a roadway in DeLand near DeLand High School, leaving two people injured and hospitalised.

By Khagan Isayev