CHP officer helps bring plane in distress to safe landing on SR-67
A CHP officer spotted an airplane with a conked-out engine and blocked freeway traffic to make room for a safe landing on state Route 67 in Santee Saturday, the California Highway Patrol said.
No one was injured as the 79-year-old pilot glided onto the freeway near Riverford Road and braked to a stop.
A CHP officer was making a traffic stop at about 9:50 a.m. and noticed a homemade Europa plane flying low to the ground as if in distress, according to CHP reports. The officer immediately initiated a traffic break on the northbound side of Route 67 near Woodside Avenue, clearing the road for the plane to land, CHP Officer Brian Pennings said.
The plane landed safely and came to a stop at the Riverford Road off-ramp, about one mile away from Woodside Avenue, Pennings said.
The pilot was Wayne Oehler of El Cajon. He told CHP officers that he left Gillespie Field near El Cajon and encountered engine problems soon after taking off.
He contacted an airport tower and began to turn around but experienced a complete engine lock up about three-quarters into his turns.
Oehler pointed the plane toward Route 67 and landed with the help of the CHP officer who cleared the road.
“The actions they took lead to a safe ending,” Pennings said.
Oehler told officers that he began building the plane in 2000 and finished it in 2009. He has flown in many times without incident, Pennings said.
The Riverford offramp was closed in to remove the plane, but freeway lanes remained open.
Related posts:
- Caltrans to close Route 67 for interchange work tonight
- Portion of SR-67 closed 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. this week
- Plane crash kills two Ramona men
- Parole denied for ex-CHP officer who killed SDSU student during 1986 traffic stop
- Man jailed after high-speed chase in stolen truck
Short URL: http://www.ramonasentinel.com/?p=15850
Posted by Maureen Robertson
on Jul 21 2012. Filed under News.
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