TALLADEGA COUNTY, Ala. – A small plane made an emergency landing on an Alabama interstate in Talladega County Saturday afternoon.
Twitter user @DeveloperFredie said, and Alabama State Troopers later confirmed, the Cessna landed on I-20 Westbound, narrowly missing a few cars on the way down.
After speaking with the people on board, the user said it was a student pilot’s first flight.
ALEA Corporal Jimmy L. Harrell Jr. and the plane had complete engine failure, and the flight instructor landed the plane. He said that instructor, James Williams of Anniston, must have been very skilled to land on a busy interstate with those kinds of engine problems.
This small Cessna landed on a crowded I-20 W in Christmas traffic. He barely missed a few cars and landed perfectly. The two men inside said it was a student pilot’s first flight and they had engine failure. They were remarkably calm. The student was the first to exit the plane. pic.twitter.com/Rg9zchqbEk
— Fredie Carmichael (@DeveloperFredie) December 22, 2018
So, this just happened: a plane lost its engine and emergency landed on I-20 W in front of us. Video coming. pic.twitter.com/VFO74YGSMe
— Fredie Carmichael (@DeveloperFredie) December 22, 2018
ALDOT reported an incident at I-20 WB’s ramp to Exit 173 (CR5/Eastaboga) at 4:37 p.m. on Saturday. The agency did not provide details.
Cpl. Harrell added that there were no injuries reported about the people in the plane, or drivers on the road at the time related to the plane’s landing. He said everyone was lucky.
A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman told WHNT News 19 in a statement that the plane was a Cessna 172 flying from Talladega Municipal Airport. Two people were on board and the FAA is investigating:
“A Cessna 172 aircraft departed Talladega Municipal Airport and made an emergency landing on 1-20 westbound at mile marker 173 at 4:21 p.m. Two people were on board. Contact local authorities for passenger information. The FAA will investigate.”
WHNT News 19 is working to get more information. Refresh the page for updates.