Pilot of Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing in Arlington

The pilot of a single-engine plane made an emergency landing in Arlington Friday afternoon and came to rest on a highway ramp.

The pilot brought the plane down in a grassy area alongside Interstate 20 just before 5 p.m., but was unable to bring the plane to a stop before running onto the highway ramp going from U.S. Highway 287 northbound to westbound I-20.

The plane was towing a GEICO banner near the interchange when the pilot told air traffic controllers that the plane lost oil pressure, the FAA said. The pilot then said he was dropping the banner and would make an emergency landing.

When the plane hit the ramp it collided with Richard Dutton's black pickup truck.

"The plane hit right in the windshield, I guess the driver's side and that was all broken, so it looks scary, but he's fine," said Dutton's friend, Nikki Minnies.

"What happened was his landing gear, as he was coming down for his emergency landing, he actually struck a retaining wall, which also struck this black pickup truck," said Cook. "Part of the wing's fuselage actually went into the truck."

"The pilot's OK," said Christopher Cook with the Arlington police. "He's in good spirits, he was up talking. He wishes he wouldn't have hit anything. He was doing his best to try to get in the field."

One person was transported to the hospital, the Arlington Fire Department said.

The highway shut down for a few hours after the crash though all lanes reopened at about 8:15 p.m.

The FAA is currently investigating the situation.

NBC 5's Ben Russell contributed to this report.

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