Pilot Was Forced to Land on the Interstate After Mechanical Failure

On August 28, a 1948 Beechcraft A35 Bonanza was hit by a car after executing an emergency landing on the interstate. Police reported at least one injury, but no fatalities.

The aircraft involved in the accident, N711LB, is registered to Joseph Fisher of Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

The Piedmont Triad International Airport received a distress call from the single-engine Beechcraft at 7:55 pm. The pilot noted that they were experiencing a mechanical failure on short final and wouldn’t be able to make it back to the field. They ended up landing westbound on I-840 at the I-73 juncture in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The plane was able to safely touch down and come to a stop, with the pilot steering to the right shoulder of the highway to wait for authorities. Shortly after, a car traveling the same direction swerved and hit one of the aircraft’s passengers, then collided with the right wing.

Two people were on board the aircraft, with one taken to a local hospital after sustaining minor injuries from the vehicle. The driver of the car was unharmed.

The FAA’s preliminary report confirms this, stating that the "aircraft experienced engine issues” and “landed on the interstate, a passenger exited the aircraft and was struck by a vehicle."

The busy westbound traffic lanes were closed for several hours after the accident.

The Greensboro Police Department will be investigating the crash, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will be reviewing the aircraft’s malfunction.

FMI: www.greensboro-nc.gov