Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing On Lake Shore Drive

CHICAGO, IL — Mechanical issues forced a small airplane to make an emergency landing on Lake Shore Drive on Friday afternoon, according to the Chicago Fire Department. No one was hurt in the incident, and the south direction of the road was reduced to a single lane at one point, authorities said.

The couple in the single-propeller plane had been on its way to Cleveland from Wisconsin before landing around 3 p.m. in the 3800 block of South Lake Shore Drive, said the fire department, which posted photos of the aircraft to its Twitter account. The airplane had lost power, but the pilot was able to fly under the pedestrian bridge at 35th Street before landing on the roadway thanks to the help of air traffic control, according to authorities.

Although the pilot and passenger weren't hurt, Ald. Sophia King (4th Ward) told the Chicago Tribune that the experience had left the couple shaken up. The plane was moved to the side of Lake Shore Drive after landing, and it was eventually lifted onto a flatbed trailer and driven away.

A Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman told the Tribune that the agency would be investigating the incident, and the National Traffic Safety Board could help out, too. It still wasn't clear where the plane had departed from or where it was headed.

Photo via Chicago Fire Department