(NewsNation) — A 911 call reveals the harrowing moments as a small plane dangled in air for nearly seven hours after hitting an electrical tower.
Pilot Patrick Merkle stayed calm as he waited for first responders to figure out how to rescue himself and his passenger, despite fears the plane could slip from its precarious position.
“I’m concerned we could slip out of the tower and fall to the ground and that would not be a survivable distance,” Merkle told dispatchers.
Merkle had been attempting to land the plane and crashed into the tower due to what he told dispatchers was a “visibility issue.”
Rescuers had to figure out how to deal with power lines and secure the plane before they could rescue Merkle and his passenger.
The NTSB is still investigating the cause of the crash.
Listen to more in the video above.