Plane makes forced landing on Interstate-55 hits car, all safe

 

[July 12, 2018]  LINCOLN  -- At about 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 11 a small plane force-landed approximately one mile north of the Logan County Airport on Interstate 55 near Kruger Elevator.

The plane made contact with a car, but the pilot then veered the aircraft off the Interstate to get away from traffic.

Both the pilot and the car driver were not injured.

Reportedly, the plane had a throttle problem. The throttle acts like a gas pedal in a car, it adds fuel as needed to the engine. As it sat, it appeared the left landing gear was damaged by the landing as it leaned left, but remained upright.

The fixed wing, single engine plane is a Cessna 180B owned by Reigle Aviation based at Reigle Airport, Lebanon County, Palmyra, PA.

Emergency crews were on scene until the National Transportation Safety Board could arrive. The plane was then to be transported from the scene by flatbed.

[Jan Youngquist, picture by Karen Hargis]