ASHEVILLE, NC – A harrowing event unfolded on Thursday night, as a small plane plummeted onto Interstate 26 near Asheville Regional Airport in western North Carolina, subsequently bursting into flames.
Two passengers aboard the ill-fated plane were injured in the crash. They were promptly transported to a hospital where they are currently receiving treatment. Thankfully, their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have stepped in to probe the incident. Their aim is to uncover the factors that led to this unfortunate event.
The aircraft involved was a single-engine Diamond DA-40. It crashed into power lines crossing Interstate 26 around 8:15 p.m. One of its wings also collided with a tractor-trailer, resulting in the plane being consumed by fire.
The tractor-trailer sustained damage in the collision, but its driver was fortunate enough to escape injury.
Following the crash, the highway was shut down in both directions on Friday morning. Workers from Duke Power were called in to mend the damaged power lines that span the highway, as stated by the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
Investigations by the FAA and NTSB are ongoing as they seek to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future.