If you were unfortunate enough to scroll around your social media channels this weekend you probably realized that it was one that featured some truly bizarre catastrophes. But the one that happened this afternoon just after 2 PM local time near Whiteman Airport in Pacoima, California really takes the cake—or the locomotive in this case.
A Cessna 172, registered N8056L, made an emergency landing (or lost control while landing) and ended up on railroad tracks between Osborne Street and San Fernando Road next to the airport. The injured pilot was pulled from the stricken Cessna by police and bystanders just an instant before a Metrolink train plowed through the aircraft, shattering it and sending pieces of it flying. LAPD has posted absolutely chilling bodycam footage of the rescue, which came in just the nick of time:
Other videos from the scene are also remarkably dramatic, like this one from Luis Jimenez, who goes by @ComposerLuis on Twitter, among others:
The pilot was rushed to the hospital and it isn’t clear at this time what condition they are in, but the fact that they made it out alive is something of a miracle in itself.
Absolutely amazing heroism by everyone involved!
Contact the author: Tyler@thedrive.com