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A Plane Rear-Ended a Car on a Minnesota Highway, and It Was an Amazing Save

The year is (still) 2020, and it’s been packed with strange, unsettling developments on all fronts. This is another one of those strange instances, albeit an amazing one at the same time.
Airplane and car collide on the I-35 in Minnesota, pilot makes amazing save 4 photos
Photo: Facebook / Ramsey County Deputy
Airplane and car collide on the I-35 in Minnesota, pilot makes amazing saveAirplane and car collide on the I-35 in Minnesota, pilot makes amazing saveAirplane and car collide on the I-35 in Minnesota, pilot makes amazing save
On December 2, a single-engine Bellanca Viking plane made an emergency landing on the I-35 outside the Twin Cities in Minnesota, and, in doing so, it clipped an SUV and caused a crash. This is one of those rare times when you hear an aircraft and a car crashed, but luckily, no one was hurt.

Footage of the strange incident was released by the Minnesota Department of Transportation on social media, along with photos from the scene of the crash, and you can find them all at the bottom of the page. In the CCTV video, the plane is seen making a smooth landing and touching down on the nearly-deserted highway before clipping an SUV from the back.

Both plane and car crashed, with the aircraft smashing into the barrier. It is believed the pilot crashed the plane so as to avoid further damage to the car since he realized there wasn’t enough space to overtake it successfully. That said, owner Brittany Yurik is telling the media that her SUV has been totaled, but she is grateful for the quick thinking of the pilot because it may have saved the lives of both.

Speaking of whom, the pilot deserves credit for the incredible save. He’s been identified as 52-year-old Craig Gifford of Minneapolis, a competitive aerobatic pilot, who has represented America in the sport in international contests. He is an experienced pilot with many hours of flight, and he did everything by the book while showing exemplary skills and minimizing the potential damage of the collision.

Officials say the emergency landing was triggered by complete engine failure of the small aircraft, but the exact cause will be determined by the ongoing Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board investigations.





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About the author: Elena Gorgan
Elena Gorgan profile photo

Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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