Plane Lands On Interstate-5 Near San Diego; Pilot, Passenger Uninjured

A single engine plane caused a traffic jam at the Interstate-5 as it landed on the freeway near the Del Mar Fairgrounds on Tuesday afternoon, with some vehicles getting clipped and damaged.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the pilot attempted to land the Piper PA-32 at a nearby field in the area, about 20 miles north of San Diego, and had to make an emergency landing on the southbound side of the freeway, CBS affiliate KFMB-TV reported. The plane came to a stop with its nose resting on the center divider, footage showed.

The emergency landing prompted closure of a stretch of the freeway as some passengers in vehicles receieved minor injuries.

The CHP said both the pilot and passenger noticed mechanical issues shortly after the plane took off from Montgomery Field. They were uninjured during the landing, but images from the scene showed one of the cars hit by the plane. The vehicle, a sedan, had its rear window shattered by the impact. Another, an SUV, had part of the aircraft’s right wing stuck at the vehicle’s back end. It is unclear whether passengers in the SUV were injured.

Jet fuel spilled over the freeway, but crews immediately worked to clear the area. The plane was lifted out of the freeway shortly before 4:30 p.m., NBC-owned KNSD reported. Shortly, closed lanes on the highway were reopened by the CHP. The FAA has started investigating the incident, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

In July last year, a pilot with nearly two decades of flying experience made an emergency landing at I-5 near San Onofre. The plane took off from John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana and was on its way to Montgomery Field when mechanical problems prompted the pilot to land the aircraft on the farthest right side of the freeway.

No injuries were reported during the 2020 incident.