Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing on Interstate 78 in Lehigh County
A small single-engine aircraft executed an emergency landing on Interstate 78 in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, on Saturday morning. The incident occurred around 9:19 a.m. in the eastbound lanes of Weisenberg Township, near the Lynnport/New Smithville exit, leading to the temporary closure of a section of the highway.
The two occupants of the plane were reported to be uninjured.
Incident Details
The aircraft involved was a 1995 single-engine Commander Aircraft Corp. 114-B. It had departed from Solberg–Hunterdon Airport in Readington Township, New Jersey, and was en route to Indiana. The pilot, a 65-year-old man from Michigan, reported experiencing unspecified engine problems during the flight. He attempted to divert the aircraft to a local airport before landing on Interstate 78.
A 34-year-old woman from New Jersey was the passenger aboard the plane. Both individuals were reported to have sustained no injuries following the landing. Details regarding the incident were provided by Pennsylvania State Police spokesperson Trooper Nathan Branosky.
Emergency Response and Investigation
Following the landing, emergency responders, including state police, EMS personnel, and firefighters, were present at the scene. The aircraft was subsequently towed from the highway to Queen City Airport in Allentown.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has commenced an investigation into the incident.
Traffic Impact
The emergency landing resulted in the temporary closure of a section of Interstate 78. Eastbound traffic on I-78 was diverted at Exit 40, which provides access to Krumsville and Kutztown. While westbound lanes of the interstate remained open, traffic in the vicinity experienced slowdowns. All lanes of Interstate 78 were reported to have reopened to traffic around 1 p.m.