Plane lands on Highway 101 near Morgan Hill

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Monday, February 19, 2018
Pilot speaks after landing plane on Highway 101 near Morgan Hill
Pilot speaks after landing plane on Highway 101 near Morgan HillA plane landed on Highway 101 near Morgan Hill Sunday, according to the California Highway Patrol.

MORGAN HILL, Calif. (KGO) -- A plane landed on Highway 101 near Morgan Hill Sunday, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The plane was towed to San Martin Airport. Despite the emergency landing, there was no damage to the aircraft, the pilot or passing motorists.

It was quite a sight on Highway 101 after the plane landed just after 11 a.m.. The pilot had reported engine failure moments before landing. He was flying a single engine Piper PA-46 and made an emergency landing on the grassy median that splits the northbound and southbound lanes.

Before you head out to your car, be sure to check out the ABC7 traffic maps for real-time information to help you navigate through traffic jams.

The plane was intact as if nothing was wrong and the pilot emerged unscathed. The pilot was flying alone from Davis on his way to Watsonville and he talked with us as his plane was being towed to San Martin Airport.

"If I had gone in with traffic I would have had to hit cars so I had to go in with the shoulder in the opposite direction," said pilot Wayne Wright. "But there was just enough room there my wing tip was out into the number one lane. A couple of cars moved to make room for me so I'm sure it's a day they'll remember so everything worked out fine."

Wright says he's been flying for 40 years and says the situation wasn't scary at all. We spoke to an aviation expert and he said the pilot did an amazing job landing that plane safely. No word yet on what was wrong the engine. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.

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