WEISENBERG TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A small single-engine aircraft made a dramatic emergency landing on Interstate 78 Eastbound Saturday morning in Weisenberg Township, Lehigh County, after the pilot reported experiencing engine trouble mid-flight. Remarkably, both people on board walked away uninjured.
Pennsylvania State Police in Fogelsville received the call at approximately 9:19 a.m. reporting a plane down on the roadway along eastbound I-78. Troopers determined that a 1995 Commander 114B aircraft, operated by a 65-year-old man from Michigan, had departed from Solberg Airport in New Jersey and was traveling to Indiana when engine problems forced the emergency landing.
The pilot attempted to divert to a nearby airport but was unable to reach it in time, bringing the plane down safely on I-78 Eastbound at Mile Marker 45.6. The pilot and a 34-year-old female passenger from New Jersey were not injured.
Dashcam video of the incident circulated on social media, showing the plane flying low over the interstate before touching down and coming to a stop. Witnesses on scene described the landing as remarkably controlled given the circumstances.
All eastbound traffic on I-78 was detoured at Exit 40, Krumsville Road, in Greenwich Township, Berks County. Westbound lanes remained open throughout the incident. Eastbound traffic was fully reopened by 1 p.m. The aircraft was later removed from the scene and towed to a local airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration and Pennsylvania State Police are jointly investigating the incident. First Source News will continue to follow this story as additional details are released
Pilot Makes Skillful Emergency Landing on I-78 in Weisenberg Township; No Injuries Reporte
