UPDATE: Plane makes emergency landing on highway

Saturday, March 20, 2010
The pilot of a small engine plane safely landed in the median of United States 40 near the Clay/Putnam county line shortly before 7:20 p.m., Friday evening.

A pilot made a successful emergency landing on United States 40 near the Clay/Putnam County line shortly before 7:30 p.m., Friday evening.

According to information provided by the Putnamville District of the Indiana State Police, John H. Snyder, 66, Carmel, and a 13-year-old unidentified passenger were flying to Terre Haute from Toledo, Ohio, when the single-engine Cessna 177 lost all power.

Snyder told authorities he turned the four-seat plane eastbound to locate an acceptable landing location.

Witnesses reported seeing the plane fly just over the top of vehicles traveling on the road in Clay County before it landed and came to a stop facing east just on the other side of Putnam County line at the intersection of County Road 500 East (County Road 900 West in Putnam County).

The plane sustained minor damage to the left wing as it hit a few highway signs during the landing.

No vehicles or persons on the ground were injured during the emergency landing.

Declining transport to a medical facility, Snyder was treated at the scene for minor cuts and abrasions. The passenger, a family friend, was not injured.

Per protocols, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are in charge investigation.

Traffic was rerouted around the closed portion of US 40 to insure the integrity of the crash site investigation and safe removal of the aircraft. Curtis Garage & Wrecker Service, Stilesville, Ind., was authorized to load the plane on a flatbed and remove it to the Greencastle Airport for further investigation.

No official cause of the engine failure has been released by the FAA or NTSB at this time.

Local emergency response personnel from the Clay County Sheriff's Department, Clay County Search and Rescue, Van Buren Volunteer Fire Department, Wayne Township (Putnam County) Volunteer Fire Department, Putnam County Sheriff's Department, Indiana Department of Transportation and TransCare also responded to the scene.

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  • Just wondering where Wayne township is in Putnam County? Maybe Washington twp?

    -- Posted by longtime resident on Sun, Mar 21, 2010, at 3:05 AM
  • That location would be in Reelsvile Vol. Fire Dept.'s jurisdiction.

    -- Posted by Geologist on Sun, Mar 21, 2010, at 7:29 AM
  • Any Landing you can walk away from is a Good One, Glad no one was really Hurt in this.

    -- Posted by Afghan Contractor on Tue, Mar 23, 2010, at 8:18 AM
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