Small airplane crash-lands on Los Angeles railroad tracks before train smashes it to pieces.
QUICK FACTS:
- Los Angeles Police Department officers in Pacoima rescued a pilot from a crashed plane just moments before a Metrolink train slammed into the aircraft Sunday afternoon, The LA Times reports.
- The single-engine Cessna crashed onto the train tracks at San Fernando and Osborne streets at about 2 pm, LAPD Officer Antonio Delatorre said.
- Shortly after, officers from LAPD’s Foothill Division pulled a bloodied man in his 70s from the cockpit, according to The Times.
- Police can be seen in the video dragging the man to safety moments before the train smashed the plane into pieces, sending debris everywhere.
- The first part of the video shows police bodycam footage of the accident, when police struggled to pull the man from the wreckage, getting the man clear of the oncoming train.
- Seconds later, the train is seen exploding the plane into pieces.
- The second portion of the video was recorded by a bystander, who is seen barely dodging a large piece of flying debris.
- Watch the video from Reuters showing the dramatic rescue, below.
WATCH:
WHY THE PLANE CRASHED:
- The plane crashed after losing power, according to a tweet posted by the LAPD Valley Bureau, The Times notes.
- The pilot was taken to the hospital and was in stable condition as of 8 pm, no other injuries being reported.
BACKGROUND:
- The police department praised the “heroism and quick action” of the officers who saved the man.
- Metrolink subsequently halted train service and road traffic was detoured in the area about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of downtown Los Angeles, according to ABC News.
- The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.
