Joke crash-lands at Emmys

Conan O'Brien

It was meant to be funny but a fake plane crash during the opening Emmy awards skit made many cringe on Sunday.

The prerecorded opening segment began with Emmy host Conan O'Brien boarding a private plane to Los Angeles. Asked by a stewardess if he was nervous about hosting the show, O'Brien answered "Nervous? What could possibly go wrong?"

The plane then pitched violently, sending O'Brien out of his seat and seeking shelter in an overhead baggage compartment.

The skit didn't show the plane crashing but cut to O'Brien emerging from the ocean on to an island resembling the one in Lost where he meets a cast member.

The skit aired live on NBC just hours after a commuter jet in Kentucky crashed into a field, killing all aboard except a co-pilot.