On January 9 (local time), Police officers rescued a bleeding pilot out of a small plane that crashed on the railway tracks near Whiteman Airport, Pacoima, a neighbourhood in Los Angeles, California, US. Seconds after the pilot was removed from the plane, the rushing train slammed into the plane and crushed it.
Reports suggest the small plane, a Cessna 172, crash-landed near the intersection of San Fernando Road and Osborne Street at around 2:09 PM. The plane was in the way of the Metrolink train heading towards it at full speed. In the videos circulating on social media, people could be heard shouting, “He’s out of there, they got him out!”
The fire department officials said the pilot was the only person in the plane. When he was rescued, he was bleeding from the injury on his head. The pilot was conscious, and the eyewitnesses said he was able to speak.
Foothill Division Officers displayed heroism and quick action by saving the life of a pilot who made an emergency landing on the railroad tracks at San Fernando Rd. and Osborne St., just before an oncoming train collided with the aircraft. pic.twitter.com/DDxtGGIIMo
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) January 10, 2022
Bodycam footage shared by Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), two officers could be seen lifting him out of the cockpit. The officers shouted “Go! Go! Go!” while pulling him away, and within seconds the train hit the stranded plane.
Another video shared from a different angle showed how fast the train was when it hit the plane.
Holy shit. Train hits crashed plane in Pacoima, Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/ecif5BYTrE
— Ian Miles Cheong @ stillgray.substack.com (@stillgray) January 10, 2022
Another video showed the pilot being transported to a hospital.
Janette Flore, spokesperson, Metrolink, said no one was reported injured in the clash, including people on the ground as well as on the train. There were 66 passengers on the train.
There was a small leakage of the fuel that was contained by the firefighters. FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board have initiated a probe to investigate the cause of the emergency landing.
