Originally Posted by
melmothtw
"If true..."
Shades of 'he stuck with the plane to avoid crashing into the school/nursery/orphanage' there, Nutloose. More likely not thinking of anyone or anything else other than his own self-preservation at that point, and was just trying to clear himself from the danger area with the smoke from his burning vehicle obscuring his comrades being little more than happenstance.
(My underline) And in due course doubtless getting out of a burning vehicle.