On Oct. 10, at 3:27 p.m., a plane was forced to make an emergency landing on Interstate 69 West. A student pilot maneuvered the Diamond DV/20 plane, tail number N96YY, between the entrance ramp for Interstate 75/ U.S. Route 23 and the exit onto Bristol Rd.
Originally, the pilot intended to land on North-South Runway 18 at the Flint Bishop International Airport after it began in Detroit, stopped in Lansing and started toward Flint.
About 2 miles before it could reach its destination, the plane’s engine stalled, and because it was too close to the ground to glide to the airport, the pilot was forced to glide down onto the expressway.
John Tosto, a Flint lawyer and pilot, said there is no set protocol for where to land in these situations, but the goal of landing planes on expressways is usually to avoid power lines and to ensure a safe landing.
“There isn’t a protocol; they just try to be safe and do what’s best,” Tosto said. “Usually it’s safe to land on expressways because there are no power lines, and traffic will usually see the plane and slow down.”
The tower called emergency services as the plane was landing, and shortly after, a nearby in-flight plane, Diamond 7122C, was called to identify the crash location.
The pilot was not injured, and the plane sustained only minor damage. A few cars stopped on the expressway to get out and help the pilot.
The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash and report on it, likely releasing more information within the next six months to a year.
Haley Bowman is a write for the Michigan Times, she can be reached at haleybow@umich.edu.
