Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing on I-78 Near Allentown, Two Uninjured

A Commander 114B registered as N114KJ reported engine issues and landed on the eastbound lanes of Interstate 78 near mile marker 45 in Weisenberg Township Saturday morning, touching down without injuring either of its two occupants or any drivers on one of Pennsylvania's busiest east-west corridors.

The plane came down at approximately 9:21 a.m. near Exit 45, which serves Lynnport and New Smithville, just west of the PA-863 interchange on the Lehigh County-Berks County border. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed engine trouble preceded the landing and said it is now investigating. The National Transportation Safety Board had not issued a statement by early Saturday afternoon.

Dashcam footage from a passing westbound motorist showed N114KJ flying low over the highway before leveling off and rolling to a stop on the pavement. Pennsylvania State Police confirmed the landing occurred between Exit 40 serving Kutztown and Krumsville, and Exit 45. Officers shut down all lanes in both directions; traffic was turned around at the nearest ramp, creating significant delays near the West Hills Business Center at Exit 45. The closure fell on a holiday weekend, when traffic on I-78 already runs well above average.

When a pilot encounters an engine emergency away from an airport, the decision to land on a highway is rarely impulsive. Trained pilots follow a forced landing checklist: establish best glide speed to maximize remaining airborne distance, attempt an engine restart if conditions permit, and select the most viable surface within reach. A straight, flat section of interstate, clear of overpasses and with lanes wide enough to accommodate a small aircraft's wingspan, can offer a better survival margin than a field or forest. Pilots also squawk 7700 on their transponder, the universal emergency code that alerts air traffic control and triggers coordination with emergency services on the ground. Lehigh County Communications logged the call at 9:21 a.m., with Pennsylvania State Police and fire and medical units responding shortly after.

The Commander 114B is a capable but compact general aviation aircraft: four seats, a single engine, a low wing, and fixed tricycle landing gear. Originally produced by North American Rockwell, the design was later taken over by Commander Aircraft Company and type-certificated by the FAA in 1992. Its fixed gear eliminates one variable in an engine-out scenario; the pilot has no retractable gear to manually extend before touchdown.

Saturday's incident fits a pattern that repeats across the United States more than a dozen times per year, according to FAA incident records. Pennsylvania has seen similar events in recent memory: a Cessna put down on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Lebanon County in February 2021, and a small plane landed on Route 422 in Berks County in July 2020, the latter causing minor vehicle damage but no injuries. NTSB investigations into such incidents most frequently identify mechanical failures, fuel exhaustion, or carburetor icing as root causes, though the findings in Saturday's case will depend on what inspectors determine when they examine N114KJ.

For drivers who encounter an aircraft descending toward a roadway, the safest response is to move smoothly to the shoulder without sudden braking, avoid the area directly ahead of and beneath the aircraft's flight path, remain in the vehicle until first responders arrive, and call 911. The instinct to slow and stare is dangerous both to the driver and to emergency crews trying to clear the scene.

The FAA investigation into what caused N114KJ's engine issues is ongoing.