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I-78 reopens after small plane makes emergency landing, police say

By
Joe Brandt
Digital Content Producer, CBS Philadelphia
Joe Brandt has been a digital content producer for CBS News Philadelphia since 2022. He is a Temple University graduate and was born and raised in Pitman, NJ.
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Joe Brandt,
Eva Andersen
Eva Andersen
Eva Andersen is a four-time Emmy Award-winning reporter who writes, shoots, and edits many of her stories. She started at CBS Philadelphia in January 2024.
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Eva Andersen

/ CBS Philadelphia

A small plane made an emergency landing on a Pennsylvania highway Saturday, snarling traffic on this holiday weekend.

Pennsylvania State Police confirmed the plane landed on I-78 eastbound on Saturday morning between Exit 40 (Kutztown and Krumsville) and Exit 45 (Lynnport and New Smithville).

The 1995 Commander 114B plane took off from Solberg, New Jersey on a flight to Indiana when shortly after 9 a.m., the pilot noticed engine problems, PSP said in a news release.

plane-on-i-78-pennsylvania.jpg
Rich Rolen

The pilot tried to make it to a local airport but instead touched down on I-78 east in Weisenberg Township, Lehigh County, according to police.

"It was probably the best possible outcome for an incident like that," Weisenberg Fire Chief Justin Oswald said.

Oswald says he and 15 other members of his volunteer crew rushed to the scene, along with several fire and EMS units.

captures the terrifying moment a driver in Lehigh County witnessed a plane land in front of her car.

No injuries were reported by the pilot — a 65-year-old Michigan man — or the passenger, a 34-year-old New Jersey woman.

"I did briefly make contact with the pilot and the passenger," Oswald said. "They were fine."

Oswald's team also helped detour traffic to the nearest exit as the plane was being towed to a local airport. I-78 eastbound reopened around 1:00 p.m., according to PSP.

emily-rivera-plane-video.jpg
Video shows a plane making an emergency landing on I-78 in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, April 4, 2026. Emily Rivera

Oswald says they also monitored a small fuel leak from the plane, making sure they were ready in case a fire broke out.

He says this incident is another reminder that emergency responders truly need to be prepared for anything, including a plane landing on a busy highway.

"It's not something that you deal with when you go through the academy," Oswald said. "It's not something we deal with on our weekly training nights. So I'm very proud that the crew, they stepped up as they always do and they knew what needed to get done."

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