In a dramatic collision captured on video over the weekend, a Cessna 172 and an SUV crashed into one another at Northwest Regional Airport (52F) as the Skyhawk prepared to land at the private airfield in Roanoke, Texas.
As seen in the footage – captured by the Skyhawk pilot’s onlooking wife – the 172’s undercarriage sliced through the top of the Volvo SUV as it drove into the airplane while on a private road that runs perpendicular to Runway 17 – which lies just feet away.
The airplane lost a significant portion of its landing gear during the accident, but the pilot was able to walk away unharmed after making a successful emergency landing on the Skyhawk’s belly. Likewise, one of the two occupants in the SUV was taken to a local hospital after receiving minor injuries.
The accident has already stirred calls for additional safety measures at the Roanoke-based airport, as well as debate over who was at fault. Local news outlets report that Northwest Regional Airport has previously attempted to purchase the privately owned road – which contains stop signs on both sides of the runway – but has been turned down by the owner.
The man operating the Cessna 172 is a student pilot and was conducting a solo flight at the time of the accident.
