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Drivers on Interstate 80 east of Indianapolis found themselves sharing road space with an unusual motorist recently. A single engine Piper airplane made an emergency landing on the strip on Sunday.
The pilot Babar Suleman took off from Eagle Creek Airport and was on his way to Pittsburgh when his plane developed engine trouble at 7000 feet. Controllers told him to look for the nearest airport available, but time was running out. He spotted a break in traffic on interstate 70, and hovered above till he could manage to find a landing spot between two cars.
Traffic had to be blocked for two hours while technicians got to work on the Piper. Once they got it running, cops made sure he was able to taxi down the highway, and take off back into the air.
Deputies at Hancock County Sheriff’s Department joked that the next time the pilot arrived in town, he’d do well to abide by the no parking laws. But seriously, anyone capable of landing a plane on a busy interstate with no harm to himself or others and no property damage deserves a medal.