Plane crash lands on major A road as emergency services rush to scene

Jun 17, 2023

A plane has crash landed on the A40, causing a traffic pile-up along the major artery this evening.

Pictures from the scene show the plane, a yellow-coloured light aircraft lying on the central reservation on the stretch of road at Golden Valley Bypass in Gloucestershire.

The aircraft has caused traffic pile-ups both ways on the motorway, and people slowing down have caused a significant backup, with vehicles skirting around the plane while using the hard shoulder.

While it is lodged against the central reservation, the plane seems not to have taken significant damage, and police are on the scene, with a cordon erected across two lanes on either side.

Gloucestershire Police has since confirmed that no one was injured following the crash.

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In a statement released this evening, the service said the plane landed in the road at around 6pm, during rush-hour.

A spokesman said: "We were called shortly before 6pm today (Thursday) with a report a light aircraft had landed on the A40 Golden Valley.

"No-one was injured and it is understood that no other vehicles were involved. Police remain at the scene at this time."

In the hour following the incident, police have worked to clear the plane from the road, with traffic flows recuperating.

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The AA marked the incident on its UK-wide road map, stating the traffic now appears to be "coping well".

The organisation said: "Road closed due to police incident on A40 both ways from A417 (Elmbridge Court Roundabout) to M5 J11 (Gloucester / Golden Valley Bypass).

"Traffic is coping well. Affecting traffic between Cheltenham and Gloucester."

Planes landing on major A roads are uncommon but not unheard of, with a similar incident having happened on the A1 in January 2022.

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The Air Accidents Investigation Branch found that a pilot who was carrying out his first solo night flight from Newcastle International Airport mistook the dual carriageway of the A1 for a runway last year.

The pilot, an unnamed 72-year-old, had just 233 hours of flight experience when he crash landed his Reims Cessna F172M Light Aircraft, the incident report said, with his plane drifting south of the airport.

While it resulted in no injuries, the branch classified it as a "serious incident".