A pilot and passenger barely escaped disaster when a small plane nosedived onto a busy road in the UK, according to their flight club. Both occupants sat in the cockpit, visibly stunned, moments after their aircraft crashed into the A419 in Gloucestershire at 4:45 PM on Tuesday, as shown in photos from the scene.
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One of the plane’s wings broke off upon impact, scattering debris across the roadway as motorists queued behind the wreck. Drivers quickly exited their vehicles to assist the pilot and passenger, who were seen emerging from the damaged aircraft with the help of bystanders.
According to spokesperson Chris Cooper, the Cotswold Gliding Club owned the aircraft, where both men hold membership, per the Telegraph.
Two members of the Cotswold Gliding Club were taken to hospital with minor injuries to be checked on after an incident involving one of the club’s motorized gliders,” Cooper explained. He also stated that the Air Accidents Investigation Branch is currently examining the crash.
The Cotswold Gliding Club, as stated on its website, ranks among the largest in the country, boasting approximately 150 members.
First responders on the scene included an air ambulance from the Great Western Air Ambulance, as reported by the Telegraph. One eyewitness noted that the small plane seemed to have “stalled and nosedived” before the crash.
Authorities reported that no vehicles on the ground were damaged in the crash. However, the road remained closed for more than five hours while they cleaned up the scene.
The Internet Reacts to a Plane Crashing Down in the Middle of a Busy Road
Of course, denizens of the internet had some fun with the image of the aircraft’s occupants befuddled looks as they sat in traffic.
“Excuse me, You can’t park there Sir,” on X user joked after seeing the image. “Mate, you cant park there,” a second user echoed.
Of course, others seemed to focus on the age of the flight club members.
“Bad mid-life crisis, lol,’ an onlooker quipped.
“Too [sic] old F–s that have no business driving a car let alone flying a plane mandatory physical and written tests for anyone over the age of 65 every year for driving and flying,” a user wrote with decidedly less humor.
“Filming the next season of Top Gear?”, a third X user joked.
Meanwhile, the current condition of the plane’s occupants is unknown.