WATCH: Pilot speaks out after dramatic crash landing

Incident

A veteran pilot who guided his faltering single-engine aircraft into a clear interstate median Monday morning credits rigorous training and calm composure for saving his life and avoiding motorists on the busy highway, abc reports.

Survival

"The engine coughed once, twice, then quit," Capt. Logan Hartwell, 48, told reporters from his hospital room at Regional Medical Center, where he is listed in fair condition with two fractured ribs and a lacerated cheek. "I picked the smoothest spot I could see, flared, and held on."

Response

Dash-cam footage released by the state highway patrol shows Hartwell’s Piper Cherokee descending between tractor-trailers during rush hour, clipping a light pole before pancaking onto the asphalt shoulder in a shower of sparks. No vehicles were struck, and no ground injuries were reported.

Investigation

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have launched a joint investigation. Preliminary radar data indicate the pilot declared an emergency four minutes after departing Lakeville Municipal Airport en route to a business meeting 90 miles south.

Training

Hartwell, who has logged more than 3,800 flight hours since earning his license in 1998, said he rehearsed forced-landing scenarios every six months in simulator sessions required by his employer, Mid-South Charters. "Training kicks in when the fan stops turning," he said. "You fly the airplane all the way to the ground."

Gratitude

Emergency crews arrived within three minutes of the 8:12 a.m. crash, using foam to suppress a small fuel leak. "Those firefighters are the real heroes," Hartwell said. "They ran toward burning avgas without hesitation."

Traffic

Transportation officials closed two north-bound lanes for six hours while investigators documented the scene. Traffic backed up for eight miles, but motorists interviewed by abc praised the pilot’s skill. "He threaded the needle between semis," said commuter Angela Ruiz. "It was like watching a movie stunt."

Reflection

Company executives said the aircraft underwent its annual inspection two weeks ago and showed no mechanical discrepancies. Hartwell, a father of two, vowed to return to the cockpit once cleared by doctors. "Aviation is safer than ever, but when things go wrong, training and luck matter," he said. "I’ll keep flying. The sky is where I belong."

Status

The highway patrol confirmed the aircraft will be disassembled and trucked to an NTSB laboratory; a full report is expected within 12 months. Meanwhile, police urge anyone who shot additional footage to upload it to investigators to help complete the timeline of the dramatic crash landing.