Police Officers Rescue Pilot Just Before Aircraft Destroyed by Train

Body-cam footage shows officers rescue pilot from Skyhawk with mere seconds to spare.

Monday, January 10, 2022 at 04:57 PM ET

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A pilot is pulled away seconds before his aircraft is destroyed by an oncoming train. [Screengrab from police body-cam footage]

Key Takeaways:

Two California police officers heroically rescued a pilot from a Cessna 172 that had crashed on railroad tracks in Los Angeles, pulling him to safety moments before a train demolished the aircraft.
The incident occurred near Whiteman Field (KWHP) after the 1967 Cessna 172H allegedly lost power shortly after takeoff.
The pilot, who sustained injuries, was transported to a local hospital following the dramatic rescue captured on police body-cam footage.
This accident underscores the controversial history of Whiteman Field, an airport facing calls for closure from local residents due to safety concerns stemming from its proximity to homes and a history of past crashes.

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Two California police officers are being called heroes for rescuing the pilot of a Cessna 172 that came down on railroad tracks just moments before a train struck the aircraft. The accident happened Sunday at about 2:15 p.m. near Whiteman Field (KWHP) east of Los Angeles.

Police body-cam footage shows the mangled airplane sitting on a railway crossing. The pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft, his head covered in blood, is dragged from the aircraft while one of the officers shouts “Go! Go! Go! Go!” and the train’s horn sounds in the distance. About three seconds later, the double-decker commuter train collides with what is left of the aircraft. Parts of the shattered Cessna are scattered by the impact.