Dec. 22—ALBANY — At 12:43 a.m. Friday, a Beechcraft Travel Air twin-piston aircraft made an emergency landing on the northbound New York State Thruway near Exit 23 in the city of Albany. The pilot realized he would not make it to the runway due to mechanical problems and decided to land the plane on the Thruway instead.
The pilot, Logan M. Steed, 19, of Winnsboro, South Carolina, and two passengers, Steven D. Strunk, 54, and April D. Strunk, 52, both of Mount Perry, Ohio, were not injured.
The plane took off from Fairfield County Airport in Winnsboro, South Carolina, at 8:35 a.m. and was headed to Bennington, Vermont. The pilot attempted to land at Albany International Airport due to mechanical problems. The plane is registered with a flight training school in Winnsboro.
Northbound traffic on the highway was reduced to one lane as authorities tried to figure out how best to remove the plane.
State police and the Federal Aviation Administration continue to investigate the incident.
