Airplane hits SUV during crash landing on US-1 in Chatham County while flying to Ocean Isle Beach

MONCURE, N.C. (WTVD) -- An airplane crash landed on US-1 near Pea Ridge Road in Chatham County on Thursday afternoon.

Pictures sent to ABC11 show a small aircraft on the shoulder of the highway.

The airplane, a single-engine Lancair 360, took off from Lynchburg, Virginia, with a flight plan that had it landing in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina.

Moncure Fire Department Chief Robert Shi blamed mechanical failure for the plane going down. The pilot was the only person in the airplane.

North Carolina State Highway Patrol identified the pilot of the plane as Alec Bivens. He was not injured in the crash landing.

Troopers said the crash landing resulted in damage to two vehicles that were traveling north on US-1. The plane hit a grey SUV driven by a man from Sanford. Debris from that collission then hit a vehicle driven by a woman from Cary.

Neither driver was injured and both of their vehicles remained operational and were driven away from the crash after investigators took a look at them.

Retired airline pilot Tal Holloway lives in Wake County near where the crash happened. He told ABC11 when there is an issue midair, a pilot's main goal is to diagnose then find a place to land if an airport is not an option.

"Once you make the quick determination of whether or not you're going to be able to keep it flying, if you're not now you have to start looking around. Where are you going to go? Where are you going to put the plane down? The U.S. one is a great option. It's a four lane divided highway It's wide open," he said.

First responders said the airplane may not be removed from the shoulder of the highway until Friday.

Federal officials are expected to arrive at the crash site Friday to begin their investigation.