A pilot believed to be intoxicated performed an emergency landing on a busy highway near Kansas City, Missouri.
The pilot suffered minor injuries but was able to avoid all vehicles on the road, KMBC reported.
According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, the small plane landed in the westbound lanes of I-70 around mile marker 26, east of Grain Valley early on Friday morning.
Authorities have said that the pilot was the only person on the plane.
The highway patrol’s initial investigation stated that the pilot radioed to say that he was being forced into an emergency landing because the plane was running out of fuel.
After he was found to be intoxicated, he was detained.
Highway patrol officials have identified the pilot as John Seesing. The authorities have said that they suspect that the 35-year-old was under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
A guardrail was struck during the landing but no further damage has been reported.
According to Flight Aware, the plane left Kansas City early on Thursday and landed in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Flight records indicate that the plane took off again late on Thursday night before making the emergency landing in the Kansas City area early on Friday morning.
Authorities noted that it was lucky that the emergency landing occurred early in the morning because there were fewer cars on the road. The plane was towed from the interstate at around 5.30am.
According to highway patrol records, the pilot faces six possible charges, including “DWI, C and I involving a crash, felony possession of a controlled substance, felony unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia,” KMBC reported.
The incident is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration.
