MAITLAND, Fla. – Several shocked motorists called 911 during rush hour Thursday when a small plane that ran out of gas was forced to make an emergency landing on an Interstate 4 on-ramp.
Among one of the first callers was a man who was out walking and saw the plane start to descend.
"It was definitely descending, and the engine was sputtering like it was losing power," the man said.
Although he didn't witness the landing, several others did.
5 other times planes made landings on roads and highways in Florida
In one 911 call, a motorist explains that first responders are needed on westbound I-4 near the Maitland Boulevard junction, and the operator assumed it was for a vehicle crash.
"Actually, I saw a small plane crash onto the ramp," the witness said.
The operator was in disbelief.
"You said a small plane crashed onto the ramp?" the operator asked before transferring the call to Orange County Fire Rescue.
Another man reported the same sight.
"There was a plane that fell out of the sky," he told an operator.
Another caller reported that no one was injured.
"There was somebody in the plane, he looks fine, he's just walking out of the plane," a woman said.
Officials from the Maitland Fire Department said the plane hit a car on the on-ramp, but no one was injured.
When will the plane that landed on I-4 be removed?
The Piper was traveling from South Carolina to Orlando Executive Airport when the aircraft started to run out of fuel.
"I just made a hard landing on the highway," the pilot said at 5:25 p.m., according to air traffic audio.
As of Friday afternoon, the plane is still on I-4. Officials said since the plane is private property, it is the owner's responsibility to remove it.