A pilot made a successful emergency landing Friday evening on U.S. 40 in Putnam County after experiencing problems with the aircraft.
At 7:23 p.m. Indiana State Police Troopers responded to the report of a single engine Cessna 177 landing on U.S. 40 near the Putnam/Clay County line at County Road 900 West.
A preliminary investigation has revealed that the pilot, John H. Snyder, 66, of Carmel, and his 13-year-old female passenger, a friend of the family, left Toledo, Ohio, flying to Terre Haute. Snyder said the four-seater plane lost all power and he turned eastbound to locate an acceptable landing location.
According to witnesses, the plane flew just over the top of two vehicles traveling eastbound, landed in front of them, and came to rest in the median. The plane struck a few highway signs with the left wing and sustained minor damage. No vehicles or persons on the ground were injured. Snyder was treated at the scene for minor cuts and abrasions and refused transport to a medical facility. The female passenger was not injured.
The FAA and NTSB are in charge of the investigation. Those agencies have authorized the plane to be moved to a secure location. Curtis Wrecker Service loaded the plane onto a flatbed and moved it to the Greencastle Airport. East and westbound U.S. 40 was closed at C.R. 900 until the plane was moved.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, Van Buren Fire Department, and Indiana Department of Transportation also responded to the scene.
