A small airplane landed on eastbound Interstate 4 on Friday.

  • Pilot flying to Orlando Executive Airport when he reported engine trouble
  • Plane was single-engine experimental aircraft
  • Pilot said he may have run out of fuel

Pilot Kenneth Heitz of Boynton Beach was flying to Orlando Executive Airport when he reported engine trouble to air traffic control Friday afternoon.

The single-engine plane, a 2016 Carbon Cub Light Sport SS, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, lost power but landed safely on the roadway near the Seminole County rest area, according to Seminole County Fire.

Heitz said when the plane lost power he looked for a golf course to try and land. Unable to make it to one, he made a safe emergency landing on the interstate, instead.

There were no injuries to anyone on the plane, firefighters said. Heitz said he may have run out of fuel.

Kenneth Urbach stopped at a rest area off I-4 to see the sight for himself.

"I'm just astounded with what I see," he said. "I've never seen anything like this before in my life."

Florida Aircraft and Salvage arrived later Friday to dismantle the plane in order to tow it back to Boynton Beach, after FHP said the pilot would not be allowed to fly the plane because of the emergency landing and traffic on I-4.