Video: Plane Slams into SUV in Front of Texas Runway
By Danny Cox, Examiner.com | Nov. 05, 2012
Home video broke onto the internet on Monday, Nov. 5, 2012 of a small airplane hitting an SUV in north Texas. NBC Dallas-Fort Worth revealed that the collision took place on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012 and has raised huge concerns about the safety of the roadway near the Northwest Regional Airport in Roanoke, Texas.
Early on Saturday morning, the 2005 Cessna Sky Hawk was attempting to land at the airport, but something got in the way. That "something" was the SUV which turned onto Cleveland Gibbs Road near the airport. The plane's landing gear ended up striking the roof of the vehicle.
"The aircraft continued to the runway, where he slid off and came to rest in a grassy area," said Lonny Haschel, spokesman for the Department of Public Safety.
There is virtually no warning on the road that vehicles are in any danger from low-flying aircraft. There is a very faded "STOP" painted on the street, but nothing more.
"When cars cross that area they are supposed to stop and wait for any airplanes," Deputy Chief Gilbert Caldwell of the Roanoke Fire Department told The Dallas Morning News. "Either the plane didn't see the car or the car didn't see the plane."
The couple in the SUV, Frank and Heather Laudo, suffered non-life threatening injuries in the accident per the Department of Public Safety.
The pilot of the small plane was 43-year-old William Davis. He suffered no injuries and is just happy that no-one was hurt. He is actually unsure if he will ever fly again.
This was the fourth incident in the past two months involving a plane at Roanoke Airport.