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Small Plane Lands Safely on Pennsylvania’s I-78 After Engine Trouble

Federal investigators are examining the engine problem behind the forced landing.

Overview

  • The single‑engine 1995 Commander 114B, which developed engine trouble Saturday morning, touched down on I‑78 eastbound in Weisenberg Township without injuries.
  • Pennsylvania State Police said the 65‑year‑old pilot from Michigan could not reach a nearby airport and chose the highway as the safest option.
  • Dashcam video shared by driver Emily Rivera shows the aircraft descending between cars and rolling to a stop across two lanes.
  • Weisenberg volunteer crews and other responders secured a small fuel leak, detoured traffic, reopened eastbound lanes by about 1 p.m., and escorted the plane to an Allentown airport.
  • The FAA opened an investigation into the engine issue, a review that typically looks at mechanical causes and the pilot’s decisions in general‑aviation emergencies.