Edmonton: A small passenger aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing on a highway in Edmonton following an in-flight engine failure. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed that both occupants aboard the aircraft escaped unharmed without any injuries.
The incident occurred around 1:15 AM on Highway 21 in Strathcona County, east of Edmonton. According to Canada’s Transportation Safety Board (TSB), the pilot of the Cessna 172 light aircraft was forced to land on the highway after experiencing severe engine trouble.
Major Disaster Averted
A major tragedy was averted due to low traffic volume during the early morning hours and the pilot’s swift, precise intervention. No damage was reported to the aircraft or any roadside infrastructure.
Because the aircraft landed on the southbound lanes of the highway, traffic along the route was completely blocked for several hours, with police diverting vehicles onto alternate routes. Normal traffic flow was restored around 7:30 AM after the plane was safely removed from the highway.
Transport Canada and the Transportation Safety Board have launched a detailed investigation to determine the exact cause of the engine failure.
