A Los Angeles Metrolink train hits a small plane that crashed onto its tracks; pilot saved at last moment

A shocking video shows the moment a Metrolink train collides with a small Cessna 172 plane that crashed into its tracks in Pacoima on Sunday.

This happened a few blocks from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Foothill station on Osborne Street, near Los Angeles Whiteman Airport (WHP/KWHP). The plane crashed on or near train tracks next to Whiteman Airport around 14:09 Pacific Time (UTC-8).

The pilot was the sole occupant on board and was removed from the plane only moments before the train crashed. The Los Angeles Police Department released body camera footage of the incident, showing officers shooting the pilot to safety.

According to a tweet posted by the LAPD Valley Bureau, the plane had lost power and crashed on the rails.

The pilot was transported to a regional trauma centre and treated for cuts and bruises.

The damaged plane remained on or near the Metrolink Antelope Valley line tracks, and all train movements were restricted in that area, the LAFD added.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate the crash. According to the FAA, the plane was a single-engine Cessna 172H Skyhawk registered N8056L.