Driver hits wing of plane, passenger after emergency landing on I-840 in North Carolina

GREENSBORO, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Beechcraft airplane made an emergency landing on a Greensboro interstate on Wednesday evening.

The FAA said the single-engine Beechcraft BE35 experienced engine failure on approach to Piedmont Triad International Airport.

The pilot landed on I-840 near Fleming Road at the I-73 South just before 8 p.m. I-840 is the outer loop in the Triad and the landing site was about 15 minutes from downtown Greensboro.

While on its final approach to land at Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTI), the aircraft experienced engine trouble. The pilot was forced to land on the interstate and once on the ground, the pilot maneuvered the plane onto the right shoulder.

Once the plane came to a stop, a passenger exited the plane and stood on the shoulder. A driver traveling in the westbound lands swerved in an effort to avoid hitting the plane and hit the passenger standing on the shoulder. The driver then made contact with the right wing of the aircraft, the Greensboro Police Department (GPD) says.

The plane passenger received minor injuries and was treated and released. The driver of the car was not hurt.

ABC11 has learned that the Beechcraft is registered to Joseph Fisher of Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

The plane took off at about 2:30 p.m. from Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport and made a stop in Thomson, Georgia to refuel before continuing the flight.

All lanes of Westbound I-840 reopened after midnight. GPD is overseeing the crash investigation and the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate the cause of the airplane malfunction, said Greensboro Assistant Police Chief S.R. Mardis.