COLORADO SPRINGS, CO—A routine flight from Colorado Springs Airport turned into a heart-stopping emergency Wednesday morning when a small plane was forced to make a crash landing on a major highway, with the pilot’s frantic “Mayday” call captured on audio.
Miraculously, all three people on board survived the dramatic incident unharmed, though the event closed lanes of traffic for several hours.
From the Runway to the Road
The single-engine Piper PA-28 aircraft, registered to Allison Aviation LLC, took off from Colorado Springs Airport just minutes before the pilot reported trouble.
At approximately 4:15 a.m. local time, first responders received a report of a plane down. The aircraft had made an emergency landing on Powers Boulevard, a major, multi-lane route that also serves as State Highway 21, just north of Barnes Road.
Audio from LiveATC.net captured the pilot’s distress call: “Mayday, mayday, mayday!” A few moments later, air traffic control could be heard on the recording, saying, “Yeah, I was on the phone with the police. Yeah, I had an aircraft go down.”
Aviation Expert Praises Pilot’s Quick Thinking
In photos provided by the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD), the damaged plane is seen resting on the southbound side of Powers Boulevard. Fire crews were dispatched to the scene to stop a fuel leak, and police closed lanes as federal investigators arrived.
Aviation safety analyst Gregory Feith praised the pilot’s decision, telling local news that landing on a lit highway was likely the safest option given the time of day. “Given the fact that it was dark, you can’t see any open fields… It’s most probable that the pilot chose to land on the highway or this Powers Road because it was lit,” he said.
Feith added that flight data showed the plane only got about 500 feet off the ground, indicating the emergency occurred almost immediately after takeoff.
Federal Investigation Underway
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed it will investigate the crash, with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also notified. The investigation will seek to determine what caused the plane to lose power so shortly after takeoff.
Traffic on Powers Boulevard was impacted for several hours as a tow truck was called in from Denver to remove the wreckage. Despite the chaos, officials expressed immense relief that the pilot’s quick thinking and the absence of traffic in the early morning hours prevented a tragedy.
Conclusion
Wednesday morning’s emergency landing on Powers Boulevard serves as a powerful reminder of a pilot’s decisive training in a crisis. The safe landing of all three occupants and the lack of ground injuries are a testament to the crew’s professionalism. While the incident remains under investigation, it is a chilling demonstration of how quickly a flight can turn into a life-or-death situation, and the crucial role that calm, quick decision-making plays in averting disaster.
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Disclaimer
The details in this report are based on official statements from the Colorado Springs Fire Department and aviation analysts. The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing and may reveal additional information. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, readers should refer to official statements from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) (https://www.faa.gov/) or the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) (https://www.ntsb.gov/)
