HOLLYWOOD, Fla., Oct. 13 (UPI) -- The pilot of a single-engine plane is being praised by officials for landing safely on a highway in Hollywood, Fla., without causing any major injuries.
The pilot, Alain Jaubert, 49, of Julos, France, was heading toward the Opa-locka Executive Airport in Miami-Dade County from the North Perry Airport when he made an emergency landing Wednesday afternoon, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported
Jaubert was conducting a maintenance test flight of a Socata TBM 700 after a recent mechanical inspection.
Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Mark Wysocky said the plane was having mechanical problems, forcing the pilot to set it down on the turnpike north of Miami at 1:45 p.m.
No vehicles were hit by the plane and no one on the ground was injured.
"He did a stellar job landing the plane without injuring anyone on the ground," said Gregory Meyer, spokesman for Broward County Aviation Department.
Juabert and passenger Donato Pinto, 50, of Aventura, were taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Hollywood Fire Rescue Chief Virgil Fernandez said.
The highway was closed for several hours.
Jeff Kennedy, head of the National Transportation Safety Board's Miami office, said the board will investigate the cause of the incident.
