Pilot injured in plane crash near popular Kimberley region

Passengers left unscathed after the pilot made a bold emergency landing on a remote highway on a charter flight in Western Australia.

Passengers of a charter plane that crash-landed on a remote highway in northern Western Australia were lucky enough to escape unscathed.

Washington state police said the Cessna 310 plane was about to land at Derby airport, more than 2,000 kilometers from Perth, when it crashed shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday.

The pilot was forced to use the Derby Highway, two kilometers south of town, as an emergency runway, and police and paramedics were dispatched to the scene, according to Nine News.

The pilot, a man believed to be in his 20s, was taken to Derby Hospital with serious injuries, but his injuries were not life-threatening, and the other two passengers were unharmed.

A spokesman for the Australian Transport Safety Authority told ABC on Tuesday that the circumstances of the crash will be investigated by the Aviation Surveillance Authority.

“The ATSB will investigate the crash of a Cessna 310 on the highway southeast of Derby on Tuesday afternoon following reports of a dual engine failure,” he said.

Home to over 3,000 people, Derby is used from May to September as the starting point for excursions to the popular Kimberley region, known for its natural wonders.