Injured Man Yanked from Wreckage Seconds Before Impact

One viral video this week showed a dramatic, last-second save by a Los Angeles Police Department officer who rescued a recently-crashed pilot out of his plane only seconds before an oncoming train collided with the wreckage. 

The LAPD released the Foothill Division Officer's bodycam footage, saying they "displayed heroism and quick action" with their response. The units were called to an afternoon crash landing involving a single-occupant Cessna 172 that came to rest on top of the Metrolink Antelope Valley line train tracks. The aircraft appeared to have had rough go of things on the way down, as its nose gear had collapsed and was rendered immobile. The pilot, bleeding from his face, seemed dazed, and unresponsive. 

Quick thinking and sharp-eyed rescue crews rushed to extricate him, quickly pulling him 15 feet from the tracks. The group narrowly avoided the train and watched it pass behind them at speed, where it lopped the tail off of the Cessna while ejecting debris towards bystanders. Luckily, the pieces missed onlookers. The pilot was transported to the hospital for evaluation and care. The LAPD said the aircraft was forced to land after losing power, and the pilot is in stable condition with no other injuries reported. 

FMI:www.lapdonline.org