BOISE -- All lanes on eastbound Interstate 84 have reopened after a small aircraft landed on the highway near Orchard Street.
The Cessna T210K airplane landed in the lanes about 7 a.m. The plane's pilot, 30-year-old Jon Brinkerhoff of Westminster, Colo., reported his engine had failed in midair as he was headed toward the Boise Airport, according to the Idaho Division of Aeronautics. He was not injured.
Idaho State Police say the plane landed on its belly after pilot was unable to get the landing gear to engage. A passerby told KTVB the aircraft did not have any lights.
ISP reports the left wing of the aircraft was clipped by an eastbound 2006 Ford F150 towing a boat that left the scene. The driver of the pickup, 65-year-old Dao D. Nguyen of Boise, later called police to report the crash. He was not injured.
The plane is registered to Bonnie and Andrew Patrick of Boise. It was towed off of I-84 shortly before 9 a.m. In transmissions between the craft and an air traffic controller, the pilot says he is about to land on the interstate.
"Mayday, mayday, the rest was unreadable," the air traffic controller says.
"Mayday, mayday, seven-three-Mike is going in on the freeway, engine failure," the pilot responds.
A short time later, the air traffic controller instructs someone to search for the downed plane.
"15-59 heavy, a plane just landed on the freeway in front of you about a mile and a half. Do you see anything?" he asks.
"We're looking," another person responds.
"Seven-three-mike, I'm on the freeway," the pilot says. "I'm OK."
"OK, seven-three-mike, I'm glad to hear that, thank you," the air traffic controller responds. "Emergency vehicles on the way."
Andy Patrick, owner of Boise-based charter business SP Aircraft, told the Associated Press the pilot had plenty of fuel aboard but forgot to switch fuel tanks and couldn't make the runway at the Boise Airport when the engine quit. He says the pilot was the only person aboard the flight carrying freight from Spokane, Washington.
The two right lanes of eastbound I-84 were blocked for about two hours.
The crash is under investigation by ISP and the FAA.
Listen to the 911 calls:
