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JUST PLANE SCARY! Pilot and passenger dangle 100ft over live power lines as aircraft gets entangled in wires

I heard a crash noise and there was a flash and the power flickered, I didn't think anything of it until I saw multiple patrol cars,' one witness said

GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND: A small plane, which is identified as a Mooney M20J, crashed into and became stuck in live power lines on Sunday, November 27 evening in Maryland, leaving two individuals trapped and "dangling" in the open while rescuers worked to free the aircraft. The incident resulted in significant power outages throughout the neighboring county. Although initial reports varied between two and three persons, it is now thought that there is a passenger as well as a pilot.

The single-engine aircraft, which had taken off from White Plains, New York, struck power wires close to Montgomery County Airpark in Gaithersburg around 5:40 pm on Sunday, November 27 according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration. When emergency personnel arrived, they discovered a tiny plane hanging about 100 feet in the air, as per reports from DailyBeast. 

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Utility companies acknowledged that the collision was the cause of the area's tens of thousands of power outages. Approximately 85,000 customers were impacted, according to a statement from Pepco. The company stated in the statement, "We are assessing the damage and working closely with Montgomery County fire and emergency services." The outage also disrupted traffic lights and elevators in addition to houses and shopping centers. 

Scott Goldstein, the fire chief for Montgomery County, told reporters that it wouldn't be possible to start the rescue operation until at least 9:30 pm, but he didn't specify how long it would take to bring the passengers down. According to Goldstein, in order to make it safe for rescuers to work, utility contractors will first attempt to ground the high-tension wires. The jet will then be stabilized by being chained or strapped to the tower by firemen using bucket trucks or a crane. Rescuers will utilize the crane or bucket trucks to bring the two occupants down once the plane is more stable, according to Goldstein. He claimed that occasionally, rescuers are calling them on their cellphones to check on them, as per reported by Economic Times.

Roads in the area are closed as rescue plans are being developed by the authorities for the trapped people. Assisting on the scene were special technical teams, a hazmat squad, and fire and police personnel. “We are in the process of getting to the people in the plane, we are in communication,” Piringer said. Due to "live wires" near the scene, the Montgomery County Department of Police advised Montgomery Village residents to stay away.

"I heard a crash noise and there was a flash and the power flickered. I didn't think anything of it until I saw multiple patrol cars drive by priority followed by a ton of fire rescue. So you know I did what any off-duty 911 person did and texted a friend who's at work," one witness tweeted. 

There were no reported injuries at the time of the incident, thus the passengers seemed to be okay. Although the pilot and passenger's names are now unknown, authorities claimed to be in contact with them. The occupants were “dangling about 100 feet in the air and everything is still energized at this time,” Piringer warned. “They’re in a very precarious situation given the fact they are dangling about 100 feet up,” he added.