Plane Crashes on Florida Highway After Reported Engine Failure; Driver Injured

Plane crashes on Florida highway

Driver suffers injuries

Pilot reported prior failure

A terrifying accident shocked motorists traveling along Interstate 95 in Brevard, Florida, when a small plane fell directly onto the southbound lanes during the busy evening commute.

The impact occurred near mile marker 201, in the Cocoa area, around 5:45 p.m., at a moment when the pilot had already warned he was looking for a place to land due to engine failure.

Authorities confirmed that the Beechcraft 55, a twin-engine fixed-wing aircraft, collided with a 2023 Toyota Camry traveling on the highway at that moment.

The driver of the vehicle, a 57-year-old woman, was transported to Viera Hospital with minor injuries, while the two occupants of the aircraft were unharmed.

Plane emergency descent on Florida highway

Florida highway plane crash leaves driver injured-Photo: Shutterstock

The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) reported that the pilot, a 27-year-old man from Orlando, had alerted minutes earlier that he would not be able to reach a nearby airport.

“I am looking for an available surface,” he reportedly said moments before the impact, according to initial reports released by authorities.

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The passenger, also 27 and a resident of Temple Terrace, walked away without injuries.

Authorities confirmed that neither required medical transport after the crash.

Sudden descent onto Interstate 95

According to state officials, the plane descended abruptly onto the southbound lanes, striking the Camry and coming to rest across multiple lanes of Interstate 95.

Images from the scene showed both the heavily damaged car and the aircraft immobilized amid traffic.

The area had to be cordoned off as emergency teams checked for fuel spill risks and removed debris from the fuselage.

Despite the magnitude of the crash, the pilot and his passenger remained in stable condition and cooperated with early interviews to clarify what went wrong in the flight.

Investigation underway

So far, the exact cause of the forced landing has not been determined, although the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed it will lead a full technical investigation.

Authorities will review the Beechcraft 55’s flight history as well as communications transmitted in the minutes before the crash.

The highway was reopened shortly before 9 p.m., after nearly three hours of clearing operations.

A small aircraft made an emergency landing on I-95 near King St. and struck a vehicle. The driver has minor injuries. Pilot & passenger are not injured. Southbound inside & center lanes are blocked. Northbound inside lane is also blocked. FAA will lead the aircraft incident. pic.twitter.com/wFo8Z6AJsd

— FHP Orlando (@FHPOrlando) December 9, 2025

Another aerial incident the same day

This Florida highway plane crash coincided with another emergency landing hours earlier in DeLand, Florida, where a small aircraft landed near a high school.

In that case, both occupants were injured and transported to a local hospital.

State authorities said they will investigate both events to determine whether there were recurring technical failures or shared operational factors.

They also urged private aircraft pilots to take extreme precautions and strictly follow safety protocols.

In both situations, they emphasized, rapid emergency response prevented more severe consequences, according to Fox 35 Orlando.