Plane Strikes Car On Interstate 40 While Attempting Takeoff
The pilot of a homebuilt Titan Tornado was killed Tuesday morning when his plane struck a car on Interstate 40 near Needles, CA.
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FAA spokesman Ian Gregor told the Barstow Desert Dispatch the aircraft (type shown above) landed in the westbound lanes of the Interstate, and then attempted to takeoff to the east. The plane got about three feet off the ground before it struck the car.
The pilot was ejected from the aircraft, Gregor said, and was pronounced dead at the scene. The three people inside the sedan suffered minor injuries, but apparently refused medical treatment.
There is no information available about the plane’s origin, or why it landed on I-40. The pilot’s identity has not been released.
As of 12:30 PDT, both westbound lanes of I-40 about 10 miles west of Needles remained closed.