A Piper PA-28 Cherokee on a training flight made an emergency landing on Interstate 10 in Pensacola, Florida, after a mechanical problem on Monday, threading a narrow gap beneath an overhead highway sign before touching down safely. The flight instructor and student aboard were uninjured, and no motorists were hurt in the incident, which briefly disrupted traffic near mile marker 14.
The aircraft had departed Pensacola International Airport and was unable to return after reporting trouble linked to a burning oil smell and low oil pressure. Dashcam footage captured the aircraft descending toward the highway and passing under the sign structure with only a few feet to spare before landing on the roadway. Local responders later removed the aircraft and reopened lanes.
The FAA is investigating the incident. Some reporting identified the instructor as 21-year-old Emily Shelton, who was flying with a student, though that detail came from broadcast coverage rather than local authorities. The landing drew attention because the single-engine trainer remained controllable enough to avoid traffic and infrastructure during the forced landing.