Small Plane Crashes After Takeoff, Strikes Car On US Route 50 In Bowie

A small airplane landed on US Route 50, west of MD 197, near the Church Road overpass and Freeway Airport in Bowie on Thursday morning. Four people were injured after the plane struck a car. Route 50 has since fully reopened.

The plane crashed around 11:20 a.m., Maryland State Police said. It was attempting to take off, police said.

A State Highway Administration traffic camera near the scene shows a small, low wing aircraft and a car against the median wall in the eastbound lanes of US 50 west of MD 197, just off the north end of Freeway Airport in the Bowie/Mitchellville area.

The plane is a Mooney M-20; a single-engine, low wing, four-seat aircraft. Julius Tolson Jr., 58, of Laurel, was piloting the plane alongside passenger Michael Garrah, 57, of Columbia.

The plane struck a car driven by Ryan McClain, 29, of Washington, D.C., with passenger Eric Diprospero, 31, of Baltimore. All four were treated at the scene for minor injuries. The plane was removed from the scene around 4 p.m.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate with assistance from the College Park Barrack, police said. Neither drugs nor alcohol are believed to have played a role.

Initial reports of a small aircraft down on Route 50 near Freeway Airport in Bowie. Preliminary information includes plane hit a vehicle. There are 4 injuries and no entrapment. @pgfdnews Yourishin is on the way and will update as soon as possible. #PGFD @MDSP — Mark Brady (@PGFDPIO) September 12, 2019

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A small airplane made an emergency landing on US 50, West of MD 197/Bowie, near the Church Rd overpass & Freeway Airport



A small, low wing aircraft & a car are against the media wall in the EASTBOUND lanes



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