WEISENBERG TOWNSHIP, Pa. – A small plane made an emergency landing on Interstate 78 Saturday morning, stunning drivers who watched the aircraft touch down across two eastbound lanes in Lehigh County.<\/p>\n
“It was an Easter miracle,” said Victor Machese of Skippack, who witnessed the landing just before 9:30 a.m.<\/p>\n
Pennsylvania State Police said the pilot and a passenger had departed Solberg, New Jersey, en route to Indiana when the pilot reported engine trouble over Pennsylvania. Radio transmissions captured the pilot expressing reluctance to land on the highway, but that was the best option.<\/p>\n
The 65yearold pilot from Michigan brought the plane down safely, according to police. Drivers recorded video as the aircraft descended and rolled to a stop.<\/p>\n
Machese praised the pilots skills. “He landed in 2 lanes. His wings were literally from almost the center median to the grass on the other side, and like I said, he didn’t look like he was freaking out, he was just looking straight ahead,” he said.<\/p>\n
Another witness, Chase Galanti of New Tripoli, said seeing the landing unfold was impressive. “You hear about things like that, but not too often do you get to see it first person,” he said. “He must have done the right things and kept his cool to be able to safely land the plane.”<\/p>\n
State Police said neither the pilot, the 34yearold passenger from New Jersey, nor any drivers on the interstate were injured.<\/p>\n
Weisenberg Volunteer Fire Chief Justin Oswald said several agencies responded to assist. “This is probably the best possible outcome for this type of incident we could see,” he said. Crews helped tow the plane to an airport in Allentown, with some vehicles escorting the aircraft and others blocking exits.<\/p>\n
“It’s one of those things that you don’t necessarily train for. You don’t anticipate an aircraft landing on your highway,” Oswald said. He added that responders coordinated smoothly. “Everybody worked together very well to do something we don’t run into every day.”<\/p>\n
The eastbound lanes of I78 fully reopened by 1 p.m.<\/p>\n
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident.<\/p>\n
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