A small plane crashed onto a central Phoenix road in Arizona on Sunday afternoon (US time). Despite the freak accident resulting in multiple injuries, US authorities described the emergency landing situation a “miracle” as all three people on board the aircraft were able to get out of the plane even before crews arrived.

But that’s not all. Phoenix Fire Captain DJ Lee further shared with the news outlet Arizona Family that the plane landed without causing damage to any cars or building in the vicinity despite the street where the crash happened often bustling with cars, pedestrians and bikers.

Quite a few restaurants and apartments are also located nearby. The crash occurred near 7th Street and Missouri Avenue around 3:25 pm local time on Sunday, April 12, The New York Post reported, citing the Federal Aviation Administration.

Relying on information from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), ABC15 reported that small plane was forced to land because of engine problems. Further details into the cause of the crash had not been shared at the time of writing.

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Officials share visuals of small plane crash on Phoenix road

The Phoenix Fire Department’s official social media channel has since released pictures of the incident. While one of the photos shared online showed the small plane sitting on the side of the road, another one confirmed the Phoenix authorities at the scene. Traffic was also restricted in the area, according to local US news outlet Fox 10 Phoenix’s report.

Witnesses describe Arizona plane crash scene

A witness told Fox 10 Phoenix, “I’m looking to the right and I’m like ‘Woah is that plane going to crash?’ And I’m looking at it in like slow motion falling. And as it’s falling I’m like — it landed kind of perfectly. So I’m like ‘Woah that is crazy nobody got hurt.’”

Another person said, “We ran over there- we asked everyone, ‘Is everyone OK?’ Everyone looks perfectly fine. So something just gave me the chills in my body and I’m like I just gotta hug him. So I just hugged him. Then I was like ‘You good?’ Then he was like ‘I’m great.”

Saying it was all “100% a miracle,” Phoenix Fire Captain DJ Lee told the Arizona Family outlet that the pilot flying the small water aircraft had an experience of 40 years and tried his best to avoid power lined and find a clear place to land. Although the landing successfully avoided any vehicles or building, the plane ended up hitting a fire hydrant, which had been shut off.

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Which plane was it?

Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 indicated that the aircraft at the centre of the big headline was a privately-owned Republic RC-3 Seabee with tail number N6518K. According to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the Seabee is a four-seat amphibious aircraft introduced after World War II. It was designed to operate on both land and water.

Flightradar24’s data also suggested that flight reportedly took off from Hangar Haciendas Airpark, which is a private residential airpark in southwest Phoenix. Authorities, on the other hand, have yet to confirm any such details.

NTSB stated that a preliminary investigation report of the incident will be released withing 30 days.