Banner Plane Makes Emergency Landing On Eastern Shore: Police

WORCESTER COUNTY, MD — A pilot flying a single-engine plane made an emergency landing on a highway along the Eastern Shore on Friday afternoon, according to Maryland State Police.

The single-engine Piper had been flying a banner for the Ocean City-based company Ocean Aerial Ads, but when the plane ran out of fuel, the pilot dropped the banner and conducted an emergency landing in a dirt field, according to police. Troopers were dispatched after 3 p.m. to a field off Peerless Road in Showel, on private property off MD 113, officials said.

Austin Kiehl, 23, of Montana, safely landed and did not report any injuries, according to police, who said there was likewise no damage to the plane.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were notified as the investigation continues, authorities said.

The banner company was in the news less than a year ago when last July, it flew planes for a Parkville man who wanted to promote the GOP through messages such as "Stop Mad Cow Disease; Defeat Hillary" and "America First. Build The Wall Now."

After hundreds of complaints were reported, the owner of the Ocean City company stopped flying political ads altogether. His other clients include Geico, South Moon Under, Hooters and dozens of others. The business is run by family and reportedly flies 30 banners on weekdays and 60 on weekends using a fleet of nine planes.

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File photo.