Atlanta: A small plane made an emergency landing on a busy stretch of highway in Atlanta, in the US state of Georgia, just as the city's busy rush hour began on Monday. Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said on Monday there were no injuries reported after the Piper Saratoga landed on the highway.
DeKalb County Officer Jason Gagnon added that the landing went relatively smoothly. He said the plane managed to avoid hitting any cars as it maneuvered onto the highway.
The pilot, Matt Conway, said proper training had paid off and it helped him manage the situation. "The engine quits and you got to know what to do at all times. I just saw the closest thing to a straight runway and of course, can't make the airport in this aircraft from that altitude," he said.
The plane was forced to land around 5 pm (2100GMT) on a southbound stretch of the interstate a few miles from Peachtree-Dekalb Airport, where it was heading. Television reports showed traffic snarled for miles (kilometers) as the plane blocked at least four lanes of traffic. Bergen said authorities were not yet certain how many passengers were on the plane.AP
