ESCANABA -- The pilot of the Civil Air Patrol plane that had to make an emergency landing at 8:30 p.m. Monday night on Danforth Road near North 13th Street in Escanaba says he and his passenger are very glad to be alive.
Major Steve Adkins was the pilot. He says he and Colonel Donald Poe were returning from a training mission in Houghton, when just west of Gladstone they suddenly lost engine power.
The plane had engine failure mid-air, and they knew they wouldn't make it to the airport. Adkins chose the road he landed on because it was the only lighted area available. He also credits the safe landing to his years of flying experience, and a lot of luck.
"In this case, the training worked," said Adkins. "As far as being scared, there was not enough time to be scared. I figured we had maybe three or four minutes in the air after the engine failed."
The plane will be taken to the Delta County Airport for repairs on one of its wings that hit a street light during landing.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forWLUC