US: Missouri pilot arrested after landing plane on highway
July 15, 2022
A pilot was arrested on Friday in the US state of Missouri, after he landed his plane on a highway.
The incident took place on the Interstate 70 highway, 20 miles (32 kilometers) southeast of Kansas City, Missouri.
The pilot had sent a radio message to aviation authorities to alert them that he had run out of fuel prior to executing the emergency landing at approximately 2:30 am (7:30am UTC).
The Missouri State Highway Patrol said the plane, a Piper Cherokee aircraft, had a "minor collision" with a guardrail upon landing, but no cars or other property were impacted.
The pilot was the only person aboard the aircraft when it landed. He was taken to the hospital, suffering minor injuries.
Local news channel KSHB 41 reported that the pilot, a 35-year-old man, now faces charges of driving while intoxicated, careless and imprudent operation involving a crash, felony possession of controlled substances, felony possession of a firearm, possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.
The man had flown to Missouri from Florida and was set to land in Kansas City's Charles B. Wheeler downtown airport, KSHB 41 reported.
On his way from Florida, the pilot made a stop in the state of Tennessee and then made another stop in Warrensburg, Missouri, which was some 20 miles southeast of where the emergency landing took place.
Nineteen minutes after taking off from Warrensburg, the pilot made the call to authorities.
The Federal Aviation Administration is now also assisting local authorities in investigating the incident, KSHB 41 reported.