An unidentified pilot had a close call on Monday afternoon when his plane crashed into the side of a house in Northglenn, Colo., located just ten miles north of Denver.
The crash occurred in the residential area of the city according to Northglenn Police Department spokesman Ron Haralson.
The Federal Aviation Administration identified the small airplane as an agricultural and pest control plane. It is registered to Airspeed Enterprises, which is located in Northglenn.
Prior to the incident, plane had been reportedly towing a banner for an insurance company.
The plane was meant to fly the advertisement over the Colorado Rockies baseball game. The banner was dropped prior to the crash.
MORE IMAGES: Small plane crashes into Northglenn home: http://t.co/jicrac7PU1 #breaking #Denver #Colorado #PlaneCrash pic.twitter.com/7XQHsfFjfs
— 7NEWS Denver Channel (@DenverChannel) May 5, 2014
What went wrong?
Tom Mace, who hired the pilot, said the engine suffered a malfunction. The pilot knew that the plane was going down, but was running low on options as to how to make a safe landing.
Haralson said that the pilot had been trying to make it to a field. He simply was unable to get the small airplane there in time.
Pilot, dog survive plane crash. This house wasn't so lucky: http://t.co/5HR6knrQ5J pic.twitter.com/H2TpXv1nd2
— azcentral (@azcentral) May 6, 2014
The spokesman said the plane was flying low in an effort to avoid houses.
A group of young teens who were playing soccer at a track nearby saw the plane flying very low and knew something was wrong.
15-year-old Ryder Munera and his friends thought the plane was “way too close” to the ground as it went past. They knew it was likely going to crash.
Small plane crashes into house north of Denver
http://t.co/tnQN1tRpG7 pic.twitter.com/RiTTfU5EJt
— India Today (@IndiaToday) May 6, 2014
Despite all the pilot’s efforts and precautions, he landed in an unoccupied resident. A wing of the plane and its tail both protruded from the side of a severely damaged house.
North Metro Fire Rescue spokeswoman Sara Farris said that the man was able to get out of the plane just fine, having suffered only minor injuries. No one else was hurt by the crash.
The incident resulted in a fire, which the pilot attempted to battle with a garden hose. This effort proved unsuccessful and the burning fuel forced him to leave the scene for his own safety.
Image via YouTube