Training aircraft makes emergency landing on national highway in TN

Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu), Nov 14 (PTI) A private trainer aircraft made an emergency landing on the national highway in Tamil Nadu’s Pudukkottai district after its windshield cracked mid-flight following a technical snag, police said on Friday.

Both occupants - a pilot and a trainee - escaped unhurt, the police official said.

The aircraft, a Cessna 172 belonging to a Kerala-based private flight training company was flying from Salem airport to Karaikudi in Sivaganga district on November 13, when the pilot noticed a crack in the front windshield around 12.45 pm.

"The single-engine Cessna 172 skyhawk made an emergency landing on the Trichy-Pudukkottai highway near Narthamalai. No one on the ground was hurt either," the official said.

Following the landing, the crew informed the aviation firm, which alerted the Tiruchirappalli airport authorities.

Airport officials said the aircraft's engine developed a snag. A detailed enquiry will be ordered to ascertain the issues with the aircraft, they said.

Traffic on the highway was disrupted for a brief time due to the landing of the aircraft. Local police, who rushed to the spot, quickly restored the traffic. PTI JSP JSP KH