A private pilot in a light airplane made a safe emergency landing on Interstate 5 near Camp Pendleton on Monday.
The single-engine Piper PA24 touched down on the southbound side of the freeway near Basilone Road in the San Onofre area about 12:45 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol and Federal Aviation Administration. No property damage or injuries were reported.
According to the CHP, the plane landed on the roadway "due to mechanical failure."
I-5 SB south of Basilone. Use caution in the area and expect delays. Airplane landed on the freeway due to mechanical failure. No injuries, no vehicles hit. Plane is fully on right shoulder. Unknown duration for removal. Stay safe. pic.twitter.com/3Gb5YTu20M
— CHP OCEANSIDE AREA (@CHP_Oceanside) July 27, 2020
The flier was the sole occupant of the aircraft, which is registered to a Carmel Valley man, according to FAA records. The pilot was en route from John Wayne Airport in Orange County to Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in Serra Mesa when the plane began malfunctioning, the federal agency reported.
The downed plane left the far right-hand southbound lane of the interstate blocked for about 45 minutes, leading to heavy congestion in the area through the early afternoon, according to the CHP.
