A pilot reportedly intoxicated has been arrested after landing a small plane on a highway for apparently running out of fuel.
John Seesing, 35, was flying a Piper Cherokee single-engine plane to Kansas City’s Wheeler Downtown Airport when he was forced to make an emergency landing on Interstate 70, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Seesing, who was traveling from Florida to Missouri, called before landing and hitting a guardrail. He suffered minor injuries and was the only passenger on board, and did not hit any vehicles.
Police officers on the scene discovered that Seesing was ‘intoxicated’. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence or under the influence, felony possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and act of carelessness, the Kansas City Star reported.
Seesing, of Prairie Village, Kansas, was taken to a local hospital for minor injuries.
He obtained the student pilot’s diploma in January 2020 and was not allowed to fly with passengers.
Highway crews spent about three hours towing the plane and clearing debris.
Seesing had previous traffic violations in 2017, including speeding and driving without a valid driver’s license, public records show.
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