Trending Now - Emergency Landing of Plane on I-78 Causes Brief Highway Closure
WHO:
The Morning Call - The pilot of the plane was a 65-year-old man from Michigan, and he was flying with a 34-year-old woman from New Jersey.
The Morning Call - Trooper Nathan Branosky is a state police spokesperson.
WHAT:
The Morning Call - A small plane made an emergency landing on Interstate 78, causing a stretch of the highway to shut down and resulting in major traffic delays for hours.
The Morning Call - The plane was a Commander Aircraft Corp. 114-B, manufactured in 1995.
The Morning Call - All lanes of I-78 reopened around 1 p.m. on April 5th, 2026.
WHERE:
The Morning Call - The emergency landing occurred on Interstate 78 in Lehigh County, specifically in Weisenberg Township, near the Lynnport/New Smithville exit.
The Morning Call - The aircraft departed from Solberg–Hunterdon Airport in Readington Township, New Jersey, and was headed to Indiana.
The Morning Call - The plane was towed to Queen City Airport in Allentown.
WHEN:
The Morning Call - The plane landed at approximately 9:19 a.m. on April 5th, 2026.
The Morning Call - The highway was reopened around 1 p.m. on April 5th, 2026.
WHY:
The Morning Call - The pilot reported unknown engine problems, prompting the emergency landing on the highway.
HOW:
The Morning Call - The pilot attempted to fly to a local airport before landing on the highway.
The Morning Call - The landing was captured in a video shared by Emily Rivera, which went viral on social media.
(UPDATED April 5, 2026 09:07 UTC)
A small plane made an emergency landing on Interstate 78 in Lehigh County at approximately 9:19 a.m., causing significant traffic delays for hours. The pilot, a 65-year-old man from Michigan, reported engine problems before attempting to reach a local airport, and he was flying with a 34-year-old woman from New Jersey. All lanes of the highway were reopened around 1 p.m. after the Commander Aircraft Corp. 114-B, manufactured in 1995, was towed to Queen City Airport in Allentown.