Plane crashes on Australian highway

HOBART, Australia, April 4 (UPI) -- A trainee pilot with the Australian air force practicing aerobatic maneuvers crash-landed his plane on one of Hobart's busiest highways, officials say.

Patrick Humphrey, 18, walked away uninjured after the engine on his single-engine plane stalled about 10 a.m. local time Sunday, The Australian reported.

Witnesses allegedly saw the airplane circling overhead apparently in distress over Hobart's Brooker Highway, prompting several onlookers to call emergency services.

The aircraft slid almost 218 yards along the road under an overpass, ripping off one of its wings before coming to rest, The Australian said.

The first thing Humphrey did after crash landing was to emerge from the cockpit, run down the highway and direct traffic to ensure no vehicles would collide with the downed plane.

One witness, Brad Almond, said the debris field extended 328 feet, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported.

"It must have been incredibly lucky to get a gap in the traffic," he said.

"I did see a couple of motor vehicles close by straight away after the accident. So I'm imagining it came very close to actually hitting a car."

Accident investigators are determining the cause of the crash, and the Brooker Highway will be closed while they inspect the plane, the ABC said.