A single engine plan carrying three people made an emergency landing Saturday morning on I-65 north of Uniontown. No one was injured in the incident. ~photo courtesy of Richard Hanlin
Mechanical trouble forced a Carmel, Indiana pilot to land in the southbound lane of I-65 near the 42-mile marker north of Uniontown around 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 27.
Indiana State Police Sgt. Stephen Wheeles reported that a 1967 Beechcraft Bonanza being piloted by Aaron Y. Wright, 44, of Carmel was flying from Carmel to Louisville, Kentucky when the plane began experiencing mechanical trouble. Wright said he turned the plane around in an attempt to make it to the Seymour airport. But realizing the plane would not make it to the airport, Wright decided to land the plane on the southbound lanes of the interstate. The plane made a successful landing before entering the median and coming to a stop in soft soil. The plane sustained damage upon coming to stop in the median Wheeles said.
Neither Wright nor his passengers, his wife, Jean, or 13-year-old son, sustained any injuries in the incident.
Both directions of I-65 were slow for approximately three hours while the incident was investigated. The northbound lanes of I-65 were shut down for approximately an hour for removal of the plane by31 Wrecker/Hercamp Crane.
The Indiana State Police, Federal Aviation Administration, and National Transportation Safety Board are conducting an investigation of the incident.
The Indiana State Police was additionally assisted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, Seymour Police Department, Crothersville Police Department.