A small aircraft plummeted from the sky onto one of Massachusetts’ busiest highways during morning rush hour, turning a routine commute into a deadly catastrophe that claimed two lives and left motorists trapped in a nightmare scenario.
Story Snapshot
- Small plane crashed into I-195 median near Dartmouth during peak rush hour traffic
- Both aircraft occupants died instantly while one motorist suffered injuries from vehicle impact
- Highway closure in both directions stranded thousands of commuters for hours
- Plane was attempting emergency landing at nearby airport with no recorded communication
Rush Hour Turns Deadly on Interstate 195
Massachusetts State Police received the kind of call that every dispatcher dreads. A small fixed-wing aircraft had crashed into the median of Interstate 195 near Exit 19 in Dartmouth, erupting into flames during the height of morning rush hour. The timing couldn’t have been worse, with thousands of commuters packed onto the roadway heading to work.
Emergency responders raced to the scene to find a horrific tableau: the mangled remains of the aircraft engulfed in fire, debris scattered across multiple lanes, and at least one vehicle that had been struck in the chaos. The plane’s two occupants were killed instantly, while a motorist whose car was damaged in the incident sustained injuries that required immediate medical attention.
Aviation Emergency Goes Tragically Wrong
Preliminary investigations reveal the aircraft was attempting an emergency landing at New Bedford Regional Airport, located just miles from the crash site. However, no flight plan had been filed, and more troubling, no communication was recorded between the pilot and air traffic control at the time of the incident. This silence raises critical questions about what emergency the pilot faced and why standard distress protocols weren’t followed.
The proximity to New Bedford Regional Airport makes this corridor a familiar route for general aviation traffic, but emergency landings on highways represent a pilot’s last desperate option. Aviation experts note that such maneuvers typically occur only when mechanical failure or medical emergencies leave no alternative, and the outcome often depends on split-second decisions made under extreme duress.
Massive Emergency Response Paralyzes Traffic
The crash triggered an immediate shutdown of I-195 in both directions from Exit 19 through Exit 22, creating a traffic nightmare that extended for miles. Emergency vehicles from multiple jurisdictions converged on the scene, battling the aircraft fire while simultaneously treating the injured motorist and securing the crash site for federal investigators.
Thousands of commuters found themselves stranded as the investigation unfolded, with no clear timeline for reopening the critical east-west corridor. The Federal Aviation Administration immediately launched its investigation, with the National Transportation Safety Board expected to join due to the fatalities involved. Such investigations typically take months to complete, leaving families and the aviation community waiting for answers about what went so terribly wrong.
Sources:
Middletown couple killed in small plane crash on I-195 in Dartmouth
