Small Plane Lands In Middle Of Local Street In Palatine
PALATINE, Ill. (CBS) -- A small plane landed on a local street in Palatine Thursday evening.
As CBS 2's Charlie De Mar reported, the pilot walked out of the plane on his own - uninjured in all of this. He was even taking pictures of the damaged plane.
Nearby homes were also untouched, and no drivers were injured.
The single-engine Cessna 177 Cardinal used busy Quentin Road as a runway, coming to a stop in a yard near Colfax Street around 6:10 p.m.
It had been in the air for only about five minutes after taking off from Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling, according to online flight data
"I saw this plane come real low," said Mike Stammer. "At first it looked like a glider, and I just knew it was way too low."
"We were sitting on the balcony and we heard what sounded like a car crash," said Maureen Edgar.
The man who witnesses identified as the pilot was uninjured. He watched on with who appeared to be friends and family, presumably explaining the miraculous touchdown.
"The pilot is fine," Edgar said. "He was just standing next to the plane."
"I never saw a plane crash right by the street," said Carley Rebolledo.
The pilot spoke to Lupe Schoffstall moments after the crash. She lives nearby
"He said he that ran out of power at the corner," Schoffstall said. "I heard metal on concrete or asphalt, you know, like an accident, just sliding all the way. And I started running. I was surprised for being an old lady that I could run that fast."
Before the tow trucks took the damaged plane away, the pilot went back to the cockpit grabbed his belonging and certainly counted his blessings.
"It was a miracle landing," Stammer said.
Southbound Quentin Road between Northwest Highway and Colfax Street following the landing.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.