Watch plane use interstate as runway for takeoff after emergency landing in Tennessee
A small plane took off from an interstate highway in Tennessee after maneuvering an emergency landing on Wednesday morning, video shared by emergency responders on social media shows.
The plane — a white 1963 Cessna 172D with red stripes and a propeller on its nose — landed on Interstate 640 outside of Knoxville around 10 a.m. EST Wednesday, Knoxville Fire Department said on Twitter. Knoxville Police said the plane had run out of fuel.
“Not something you see every day, Cessna landing on 640 near Washington Pike, no injuries,” the fire department said in a tweet.
The plane was carrying a pilot and two passengers and had taken off from Sky Ranch Airport near Alcoa Highway, WBIR reported. No one was injured, no cars were hit and the plane was not damaged during the emergency landing, according to first responders.
Eastbound lanes remained open while the aircraft was refueled, police and fire officials said.
By 10:40 a.m., the Cessna was ready for takeoff again.
Video shared by the fire department shows the Cessna’s measured ascent about a mile before I-640 splits into I-40, which runs across Tennessee and into the mountains of North Carolina.
A motorcade of three motorcycles, a police SUV and several cruisers followed behind the plane.
Cars on the opposite side of the interstate slowed down to watch as the plane took off, video shared by police shows. Traffic on the eastbound lanes then resumed in the plane’s wake.
After leaving the interstate, flight logs appear to show the privately-owned Cessna completing a six-minute flight before touching down near Knoxville Downtown Island Airport, often called Island Home airport.
This story was originally published September 9, 2020 at 1:50 PM.
