A small aircraft tragically crashed in a fiery explosion on I-95 during morning rush hour in Massachusetts on Monday, claiming the lives of both individuals on board and injuring a commuter in a car that was nearly destroyed.
The plane plummeted toward the highway in Dartmouth around 8:15 a.m., causing drivers to quickly hit their brakes or attempt to maneuver out of the way as it descended.
“We were driving down the highway, and suddenly everyone slammed on their brakes,” commuter Eric Desouza told WJAR. “We all started zig-zagging to avoid it.”
As the aircraft made contact with the ground, a silver sedan was catapulted off the road and ended up in the median with substantial damage to its right side.
It remains uncertain whether the airplane collided with the car or if another vehicle struck it to avoid the aircraft.
Both occupants in the plane lost their lives, while one person on the ground sustained injuries and required hospitalization.
Videos and images from the scene revealed debris from the aircraft scattered and ablaze across the median, while vehicles remained at a standstill as investigators examined the area.
“Not something you witness every day,” Desouza remarked to WJAR. “Nobody expected to encounter a plane crash this morning.”
The highway close to Dartmouth was entirely closed while authorities conducted their investigations and cleanup operations.
The cause of the accident remains unknown, but police believe the small plane was en route to the nearby New Bedford Regional Airport.
However, it appears the pilot did not file a flight plan or provide a passenger manifest to the airport.
Federal authorities are currently conducting an investigation into the crash.
