Caution: article contains images some readers may find distressing.
Police officers in Los Angeles, California, have saved the life of a pilot who crash landed on railway tracks, pulling him from the wreckage just seconds before a train plowed into the plane.
The pilot had made an emergency landing on the train tracks after his plane, a single engine Cessna 172, lost power. The accident occurred near Whiteman Airport (WHP), a general aviation airport in the Pacoima community in LA, at just after 14:00 local time (20:00 UTC) on January 9, 2022.
Body cam footage released by the Los Angeles Police Department shows officers pulling the bloodied pilot from the wreckage of the aircraft. Just a few seconds after the pilot is freed, a train hurtles down the tracks, tearing through the plane and sending debris flying. Footage posted online from bystanders shows how they were almost hit by the debris.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will be investigating the crash, local media reported.
The condition of the pilot is not known. He was treated by first responders and then transported to a trauma center, media reports stated.
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