In what could have spiraled into a major highway mishap, a small plane was forced to make an emergency landing on southbound Interstate 805 in Sorrento Valley yesterday. The unexpected touchdown occurred in the late afternoon near Carroll Canyon Road, fortunately avoiding collision with commuter traffic. According to information from the California Highway Patrol, referenced by CBS8, two individuals were aboard the Piper single-engine aircraft when it struck the center divide around 5:35 PM. Still, they managed to exit the plane unscathed.
Flight tracking data published by CBS8 showed the flight's brief journey after its 5:05 PM departure from Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, with the plane cruising towards the coast and looping back toward North County before the incident. Following the emergency landing, the southbound lanes experienced several hours of closure. At the same time, the aircraft was secured and eventually relocated off the freeway with a tow truck. Now, the CHP is not only conducting their investigation, but they'll be coordinating closely with the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board as they dig deeper into the case.
Witnesses described the aircraft, identified as a 1980 Piper PA-28-181 and part of Vandelay Aviation LLC's fleet based in San Diego, coming to a halt "facing sideways up against the center divider wall," effectively blocking a portion of the freeway, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. The highway, however, managed a return to normal traffic flow by late evening, with all but the carpool and No. 1 lanes reopening just before 7 PM, and full functionality restored by approximately 9 PM.
