Brock Peters, 18, was piloting the plane when the plane’s engine failed and he had to make a second decision to save his life and that of his family, so he chose to land on Route 66
A single-engine plane with four people on board made an emergency landing on historic Route 66 in Cajon Pass, authorities said.
What’s incredible about the stunt, though, is that it was done by a teenage pilot, who, at the age of 18, made an emergency landing when his small, single-engine plane suddenly lost power.
Brock Peters told the media that he was taking his family members from Apple Valley to Riverside Municipal Airport for breakfast when he heard an engine knock while flying over Cajon Pass.
“At that point I didn’t have the space or time to get to any other airport and this was my only option, my only chance to get there,” Peters said.
Peters guided the plane under power lines and landed safely on Cajon Boulevard near Matthews Ranch Road.
The aircraft was intact and none of the four people on board were injured.
The young pilot attributes the safe landing to his training and instincts, “I just had to stay calm, remember my training and get the plane down and make sure everyone is safe,” he said.
The Cajon Pass separates the San Bernardino Mountains and the San Gabriel Mountains north of San Bernardino, California.