Pilot threads needle in emergency landing on Ca.’s 55 Freeway

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Updated Feb 10, 2018
The pilot told authorities he lost power and had to make an emergency landing on the freeway. Photo credit: Costa Mesa Fire DepartmentThe pilot told authorities he lost power and had to make an emergency landing on the freeway. Photo credit: Costa Mesa Fire Department

A pilot lost power to his single-engine plane and glided to a stop on a California freeway after flying under an overpass, according to the Orange County Register newspaper.

The incident occurred at 7:35 p.m. January 28 when the 24-year-old pilot was flying from San Diego to Van Nuys. He lost power over Costa Mesa and couldn’t make it to the nearest airport to land.

According to the newspaper, the pilot flew the Beech 633 through an opening below the overpass that was 17 feet tall and 108 feet wide to make his landing on Freeway 55.

No one in the plane or on the ground was injured.