Plane nosedives onto freeway after smoke in cockpit
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Carlsbad (KGTV) — A small plane was forced to make an emergency landing on Interstate 5 in the Carlsbad area Thursday, forcing the closure of freeway lanes for several hours.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the incident was reported at around 7:12 p.m. and took place on the southbound side of I-5 near Tamarack Avenue.
10News learned the 58-year-old male pilot of the single-engine Cessna and his 58-year-old female passenger were not injured in the landing. No other injuries or vehicle damage was reported.
The occupants told responding firefighters that smoke had filled the cockpit and the aircraft began to lose power during the flight.
The CHP said the plane made a nosedive into the center divider and came to rest in the southbound lanes.
The couple were flying from El Monte and destined to land only few miles away at Carlsbad’s Palomar Airport, 10News learned.
Freeway lanes were completely reopened at around midnight. The plane was towed to Palomar Airport.
The incident is being investigated by the NTSB.
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