A tiny aircraft crashed onto a busy roadway in North Carolina on Thursday night, blocking a section of a major interstate and sending two of the occupants to the hospital, according to local authorities.
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The Federal Aviation Administration informed USA TODAY on Friday that the collision occurred on Interstate 26 close to the Asheville Regional Airport around 8:15 p.m. ET.
A representative for the FAA said that the incident involved a Diamond DA-40 with a single engine.
USA TODAY was able to get a preliminary FAA accident report that said that the pilot on board declared “a mayday due to engine failure and smoke in the cockpit” and tried to make an emergency landing on the freeway.
Two taken to local hospital
Public safety officials from Asheville Airport, firemen from Skyland Fire Department, and Buncombe County Emergency Services all arrived at the site of fire.
According to Allen Morgan, the on-duty EMS supervisor for Buncombe County, “we transported two people out of the plane crash, but there does not appear to be any life-threatening injuries,” as reported by the Asheville Citizen Times, in association with the USA TODAY Network.
On Friday morning, further information on their health was not immediately available.
The FAA report states that the aircraft was destroyed.
I-26 lanes closed
As to the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s announcement, I-26 between Airport Road and Long Shoals Road was expected to be blocked in both directions until around 11 a.m. on Friday.
“The closure is necessary for Duke Power to restore three lines that cross both directions of I-26 traffic,” the announcement said.
The FAA reports that the National Transportation Safety Board is looking into the collision.
Contributing: Asheville Citizen Times staff
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
