By: Richard L. Smith
A small aircraft that departed a New Jersey airport was forced to make an emergency landing on a Pennsylvania highway over the weekend, drawing regional attention due to its connection to the Garden State.
According to information released by the Pennsylvania State Police, the single-engine plane experienced mechanical trouble while in flight, prompting the pilot to make an emergency landing on Interstate 78 in Lehigh County on Saturday morning.
Authorities said the aircraft, which had taken off from Solberg Airport, in Flemington, was en route to Indiana when the issue occurred.
The pilot successfully brought the plane down on the highway, landing across active lanes of traffic.
Despite the dangerous situation, no injuries were reported among the two people on board or any motorists traveling on the roadway at the time.
State police temporarily shut down portions of the highway as emergency crews responded to the scene.
The aircraft was later removed, and traffic was restored.
While the incident occurred outside New Jersey, the flight’s departure from Solberg Airport, a small general aviation airfield in Hunterdon County, adds a local connection to the unusual and potentially dangerous situation.
Federal aviation authorities are now investigating the cause of the mechanical issue that led to the emergency landing.