A small single-engine plane pulled off an emergency landing on Route 11/15 near the Selinsgrove overpass in Snyder County on Saturday morning, turning the highway into a temporary runway and, somehow, leaving everyone uninjured. The pilot reported a mechanical problem before bringing the aircraft down on the roadway, triggering a quick response from county dispatch. Traffic came to a brief standstill while crews handled the scene, and the highway reopened later that morning.
According to CBS 21, the landing happened at about 8:58 a.m., and county dispatch said the plane "landed without issue" and confirmed that there were no injuries. Video shared with the station by a passing motorist shows the aircraft stopped along the roadway’s centerline, calmly sitting in place before emergency crews moved in.
Highway landings are rare but not unheard of
Highway landings do not happen often, but Pennsylvania has seen them before. Earlier this spring, a pilot dealing with engine trouble brought a small plane down on Interstate 78 in Lehigh County, an incident covered by ABC News. These kinds of events usually lead to short traffic backups and follow-up reviews by aviation authorities to sort out what went wrong and whether any broader safety issues are involved.
Plane towed to nearby Penn Valley Airport
According to CBS 21, the aircraft was eventually towed off Route 11/15 and taken to Penn Valley Airport, about three miles north of the Selinsgrove overpass. Crews cleared the highway so regular traffic could start moving again, and county dispatch again emphasized that no injuries were reported and that the incident caused only a brief disruption for morning drivers.
What comes next
Penn Valley Airport, a small general-aviation field north of Selinsgrove, is where the plane was taken for inspection, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's airport listings. As of Saturday afternoon, officials had not released details about who owns the aircraft or whether federal authorities planned to open a formal investigation into the emergency landing.
