Plane Crashes Into Car Killing Passenger

A light aircraft crash landed on a motorway, hitting a car and killing a passenger.

The collision happened on the Interstate 15 freeway just outside Fallbrook, southern California on Saturday.

The same plane made headlines when it landed safely on the same stretch of road 15 years ago.

The black Nissan Altima sedan involved in the collision was parked on the hard shoulder of the highway at the time.

It is understood the driver had stopped to synchronise a bluetooth device.

Witnesses said the single-engine plane appeared to be having problems before it banked and came down.

California Highway Patrol Officer Chris Parent said the Lancair IV landed on its belly and skidded about 250 feet before striking the rear of the vehicle.

The impact crushed the back of the car, killing a 38-year-old San Diego woman in the back seat and injuring three others inside.

John Buchanan, spokesman for the North County Fire Protection District, said: "The plane went completely into the trunk and pushed the rear bumper almost into the rear passenger seat."

Pilot Dennis Hogge, 62, and his female passenger suffered major injuries.

The driver of the sedan suffered moderate injuries, and his other two passengers were expected to survive their injuries.

The plane was once owned by major league baseball player Matt Nokes, who made a noteworthy landing on the I-15 when the engine failed on its second flight in February 2000.

But he wasn't the only one - Officer Parent said he's aware of three other planes that have come down on the same stretch of motorway in the past decade.