UPDATE: Plane Loses Power, Makes Emergency Landing On I-575

Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration are working to determine why a small plane lost power, which forced it to make an emergency landing on Interstate 575 just north of Canton.

Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Service crews responded to a call just after 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2 regarding a small plan that made an emergency landing on the interstate just north of Exit 24/Airport Drive, the agency said Tuesday evening.

Firefighters found a small Beachcraft Sundowner airplane had landed on the northbound lane of the interstate, which is near the Cherokee County Regional Airport, Cherokee fire spokesperson Tim Cavender said.

“A 38 year old male pilot and a 53 year old male flight instructor had taken off from the Cherokee County airport when the aircraft lost power,” he added. “According to the flight instructor, the plane was approximately 500 feet in the air when they lost power. The instructor immediately took over the controls and landed the plane safely on I-575.”

Once the plan landed, Cavender said the instructor guided the plane off the highway in an effort to keep traffic flowing. No injuries were reported in the emergency landing.

Cavender added a motorist saw the plane approaching the highway, and began to slow down to prevent traffic from getting in the aircraft’s way as it approached the interstate.

Photo credits: Tim Cavender/Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services