---
title: "Flying Car Crashes Into Building Almost Immediately After Takeoff"
description: "Despite the air corps of ambitious concepts trotted out by companies recently, the promise of flying cars always seems to be just over the horizon. But that might be a good thing, as this video showing the brief flight and violent crash of a combination dune buggy and ultralight aircraft aptly demonstrates."
date: "2018-02-15"
modified: "2018-03-23"
authors:
  - name: "Kyle Cheromcha"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kyle-cheromcha"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/18531/flying-car-crashes-into-building-almost-immediately-after-takeoff"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "Aviation"
  - "Crash"
  - "Dubai"
  - "flying cars"
---

# Flying Car Crashes Into Building Almost Immediately After Takeoff

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/02/skyrunner-2.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Despite the air corps of ambitious concepts [trotted out by companies recently,](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/15882/uber-and-nasa-to-bring-flying-cars-to-los-angeles>) the promise of flying cars always seems to be just over the horizon. But that might be a good thing, as this video showing the brief flight and violent crash of a combination dune buggy and ultralight aircraft aptly demonstrates.

Though the [SkyRunner Light Sport](<https://www.flyskyrunner.com/>) bills itself as one of the "easiest and safest forms of flight," the disastrous takeoff attempt is a good reminder of the inherent risks in departing *terra firma.* In the footage, recorded last Friday in Dubai, the flying [UTV](<https://www.thedrive.com/video/17306/ford-f-150-raptor-vs-honda-pioneer-1000-5-whats-more-fun-off-road-a-truck-or-a-utv>) is seen accelerating down a grassy runway with two people aboard. As its giant parachute unfurls, the pilot activates the rear-mounted propeller that allows the rig to take to the skies—and lo and behold, it lifts off straight and smooth.

https://youtube.com/embed/P3THxtOrvos

Unfortunately, he isn't able to gain enough altitude, and the SkyRunner smashes head-on into the side of a hangar at the end of the runway less than 20 seconds after takeoff. The collision is devastating, but SkyRunner CEO Stewart Hamel [told *Gizmodo Australia*](<https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2018/02/flying-car-crashes-into-building-pilot-and-passenger-survive/>) that the pilot and his passenger survived the crash—albeit with serious injuries. A video of the wreckage shows that the vehicle's steel and carbon fiber roll cage stayed mostly intact, which probably saved their lives.

https://youtube.com/embed/bdRSfb9KrbI

Ultralight aircraft are among the most accessible forms of recreational flight, but the "Easy to Buy, Easy to Try, Easy to Fly" mantra on the company's website belies the serious nature of any aerial enterprise. You can just hop in your car and drive anywhere with no prior planning, but [there's no such thing](<https://www.thedrive.com/watch-this/14266/watch-this-airplane-crash-into-a-tree-and-flop-into-a-parking-lot>) as a "casual" flight; while misjudging a load's weight might make for bad gas mileage in a regular car, doing so in a flying car could be a fatal mistake. With a curb weight of about 1,320 pounds, seating for two, and a max takeoff weight of 1,800 pounds, the SkyRunner has a relatively slim margin for safe operation.

Starting at $139,000, the SkyRunner is an FAA-certified aircraft that requires a sport pilot license to operate. It's powered by a 115 or 160 horsepower Rotax airplane engine, and it can soar up to 10,000 feet in the air and cruise at nearly 50 mph for over 130 miles.

## Author
Overseeing an expert staff of writers and editors from his lair in Los Angeles, Kyle shapes The Drive’s singular approach to covering the automotive industry and car culture. He’s been with the site as a writer since 2017, taking over as editor in 2019. On a daily basis, Kyle is responsible for directing The Drive's editorial news and car review content strategies, setting special coverage priorities, managing complex reporting projects, and ensuring what you read on the page meets our high internal standards for quality and trustworthiness. He is also the executive producer of The Drive's YouTube channel, which was relaunched in February 2024 to great acclaim and has accumulated over 14M new views in its first year back on the scene. He hosts a biweekly series on the channel where he breaks down fascinating and complicated stories from the automotive world.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/kylecheromcha.bsky.social>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/kylecheromcha>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-cheromcha-1550248a/>)