A midair Collision over Cherry Creek State Park left one plane with its roof ripped off on Wednesday, May 12, reports FOX31.
The crash happened at 10:25 A.M. with a Key Lime Air Swearingen Metroliner SA226TC and a Cirrus SR22 just four miles north of Centennial Airport, according to South Metro Fire Rescue.
Photos went to social media soon after the crash on Wednesday morning and many wondered how it was possible everyone involved came out uninjured.
“It definitely catches your attention and gives you pause,” Anthony Brickhouse, associate professor of Aerospace and Occupational Safety at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University told FOX31.
The collision caused the main body of the Key Lime Air Metroliner to be ripped away, leaving an open hole as it came down.
According to Brickhouse, the hole was ripped in the middle section of the plane which is the ideal spot for that kind of damage to occur.
“If the wings had been significantly impacted, it would have been a different story. If the tail of the aircraft had been impacted, it would have been a different story. But this location just behind the wings is almost like the perfect location for this type of damage to happen if you’re going to have a successful situation,” said Brickhouse.
The Cirrus SR22 landed south of the Cherry Creek Reservoir and deployed the parachute which helped bring it down safely, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office.
Despite no injuries or fatalities in the crash, The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have begun an investigation on what led up to the collision.
Photo: South Metro Fire Rescue