The AeroMobil 3.0 prototype, piloted by its inventor, spectacularly crashed during a test flight in west Slovakia last week.

Stefan Klein, co-founder of tech company AeroMobil, flying car’s inventor and test pilot, was testing the latest experimental AeroMobil prototype in Nitra, Slovakia, when something went wrong at an altitude of approximately 900 feet. The aircraft appeared to be in trouble and went into a tailspin before it crashed into the ground.

The pilot activated the parachute system built into the car, which slowed the descent and saved Klein’s life. Onlookers said the 54-year-old inventor didn’t need any help to leave the scene. He was later taken to hospital for minor injuries. However, the aircraft wasn’t so lucky. It was badly damaged in the crash.

Officials from the company said in a statement that as the prototype is in a research and development stage, the data and experience from the test flight will be “thoroughly analized”, the results will be used in improvements of the current prototype and after the replacement of the damaged parts, testing will continue.

The current model was designed and built in just 10 months and its makers say it features groundbreaking technologies, such as variable-angle wings that allow the aircraft to take off from a runway much shorter than rival aircraft.

The AeroMobil is already in near final prototype stage. Unlike its rivals, the aircraft meets the regulations both for planes and for road vehicles in Europe. The company said the car was planned to go on sale in Europe in 2017.

More details about AeroMobil here.