HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — No injuries were reported after a small plane crashed on a northwest Harris County toll road on Sunday, according to Texas Department of Public Safety officials.
The crash happened around 11:15 a.m. when the pilot of a single-engine plane reported a loss of power.
The plane was approaching the Grand Parkway near Cypress Rosehill Road when the pilot decided to land on the roadway, DPS public information officer Richard Standifer said.
"I'm just passing the Tomball stadium now. I'm going to try to bring it in over the road and land with traffic," the pilot said in the recorded Live ATC communication.
As the pilot attempted the emergency landing, the plane crashed into the top of an 18-wheeler, Standifer said.
"Not good. They're on big fire. Big time. Emergency services now as fast as you can," one dispatcher can be heard saying on the air traffic control communication.
Neither the driver of the big rig nor the pilot of the plane was injured, officials said.
Once the plane got to the ground, it caught fire. Officials said the wings of the aircraft were a little wider than the roadway and the fire started when the wings rubbed against the concrete barriers. There was a fuel leak, but Standifer said the Rosehill Tomball Fire Department got to the scene and was able to stop it.
Listen to the Live ATC communication during the crash landing:
Standifer said the pilot was flying a survey assignment and was coming from West Houston Airport. The Bonanza 35 aircraft is registered in Michigan.
DPS officials waited for National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration officials to get to the scene.
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Here's the update DPS provided at the scene of the crash:
Here's a viewer video taken while driving by the crash: