Small plane crashes on I-26 near North Carolina airport, FAA says. Traffic rerouted

Mark Price
·1 min read
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A single-engine plane with two people aboard crashed on Interstate 26 in western North Carolina late Thursday, Dec. 14, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Details of the two people — the pilot and a passenger — have not been released. Both survived and were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, the Asheville Citizen-Times reports.

Video shared on social media shows the aircraft burst into flames after crash landing near the Asheville Regional Airport.

FAA investigators say the “aircraft declared mayday” and was attempting an emergency landing around 8:15 p.m. “due to engine failure and smoke in the cockpit.”

The plane was being operated by Lift Training Academy, and had departed Knoxville, Tennessee, at around 7:36 p.m., according to FlightAware.

Both sides of the Interstate 26 near Long Shoals Road were closed through midday Friday, Dec. 15, the N.C. Department of Transportation reports.

“The closure is necessary for Duke (Energy) to restore three lines that cross both directions of I-26 traffic,” state officials said.

Federal investigators say the plane was a single-engine Diamond DA-40.

The cause of the crash is being investigated by the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board, officials said.

A “Corridor Management plan” has been implemented, allowing for longer green lights along detour routes, state officials said.

Detours in place include:

  • Interstate 26 West Traffic: Exit the interstate at Airport Road (Exit 40) to Hendersonville Road (U.S. 25 North) to Long Shoals Road (N.C. 143) back to the interstate.

  • Interstate 26 East Traffic: Exit the interstate at Long Shoals Road (Exit 37) to Hendersonville Road (U.S. 25 South) to Airport Road (N.C. 280).

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