A dramatic and extremely rare emergency unfolded on Interstate 95 in Brevard County when a small plane glided over highway traffic and crashed into a car during an attempted emergency landing. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver of the impacted vehicle suffered only minor injuries — a fortunate outcome considering the split-second chaos captured by dashcam footage.

Jim Coffey and his son, Peter, were heading home to West Melbourne after a trip to Atlanta, having just dropped off a friend at UCF, when the unimaginable happened. Their dashcam recorded the aircraft descending directly over their car before skidding into another vehicle just ahead of them. The terrifying moment, Coffey said, felt like watching a plane “drop out of the sky.”

Peter recalled seeing the aircraft veer down toward the interstate, hoping it would avoid the lane of traffic where they were driving. But the pilot’s attempt to land left no margin for error. “I thought it might maybe aim around and not hit the car,” he said. “But bam — the wheel just smacked right dab on the back of the car.”

Jim Coffey added that they were mere seconds from being hit themselves. The plane’s impact crumpled the struck vehicle but did not cause it to roll, an outcome the Coffeys attribute to quick reflexes and a bit of luck. Emergency flares, braking vehicles, and the grinding skid of the aircraft created a scene of sudden, explosive confusion across the interstate.

The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation, with a preliminary report expected within 30 days. Incidents like this highlight not only the unpredictability of emergency aviation landings but also the importance of strong infrastructure, coordinated response systems, and clear safety standards—priorities consistently emphasized by those who believe in restoring stability and accountability to America’s transportation oversight.

For now, the Coffey family is simply grateful to have escaped the extraordinary event unharmed, but the dashcam footage serves as a sobering reminder: even on familiar roads, life can change in an instant.