Massive fireballs erupt as plane crashes on busy US road

A plane that was forced to make an emergency landing on a busy Washington street has sparked multiple fireballs while narrowly missing traffic.

Video captured on dashcam shows the small plane plunging towards the road, clipping power lines and sending twin fireballs billowing into the sky before crashing onto a cross street in the city of Mukilteo, local broadcaster King 5 reports.

The single-engine Piper PA32 plane was forced to make the emergency landing after it experienced an “engine anomaly”, US Aviation Accident Investigator Tom Little said.

During its descent, the plane struck a number of powerlines, triggering two explosions. The plane also collided with a light pole, spilling fuel which then set a nearby vehicle to alight.

During the landing the plane’s right landing gear collapsed, causing it to skid a small distance before coming to a stop. Miraculously, no one was injured.

One motorist, Khal Nouri, has described waiting in a car at a red light with his family when the plane passed overhead.

"I thought it was the end of our lives," Mr Nouri said, praising the pilot for his swift thinking.

"He didn't want to hit a building obviously, he didn't want to hit an area where people are, and he saw this street was empty. He did a fantastic job.”

Damage to powerlines caused by the plane’s crash landing led to power outages, however power was restored a couple of hours after the incident.