(La Porte County, IN) - The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a crop dusting plane coming within a razor’s edge of a moving semi-truck on U.S. 30 in La Porte County.

 

It happened near Hanna on Wednesday.

 

A posted video shows the very low flying crop duster heading from a field toward an eastbound semi-truck then veering left around the truck at the last second to avoid a collision.  

 

So far, the name of the pilot has not been released.

 

Clifton Howard, 26, of North Judson recorded the video while traveling behind the semi-truck in his car. 

 

Howard said he began videotaping when the low flying crop duster was off in the distance above a farm field because he loves seeing them fly and wanted something to show his friends.

 

He didn’t know when he started recording there would be such a close call between the plane and tractor trailer.

 

“I was more amazed than scared or shocked or anything. I was like, wow, this guy’s got some skills.  He’s got, pardon my French, but he’s got some balls on him.  I was amazed,” he said.

 

David Eby, who owns a crop dusting business in Wakarusa, strongly criticized the pilot.

 

He said the pilot should have gained altitude before crossing the highway to spray another field and believes het decided stay very low to the ground to beat the semi truck across the four lane highway to save time.

 

Eby said there’s no reason, whatsoever, for a crop dusting pilot to risk lives.

 

“It makes the whole industry look bad,” he said.

 

He also said the pilot should be stripped of his license.

 

“He violated a lot of laws, a lot of common sense law,” he said.

 

The video on Howard’s page on Facebook has drawn over 15,000 shares and close to 3,000 comments.

 

Howard said he was heading home from his refinery job in Whiting when he recorded the video.