A pilot and a passenger were arrested after their single-engine plane that was carrying a large quantity of narcotics made an emergency landing on a California highway on Thursday.
According to police, the Piper PA-28 plane landed around 2:00 a.m. on Highway 76 near Oceanside, California.
The pilot told authorities that the plane’s engine failed, causing him to make an emergency landing on Highway 76.
When authorities arrived on the scene, they searched the plane and discovered 2.2 pounds of cocaine.
Gabriel Leon Breit, 21, and Troy Othneil Smith,36, both from Oceanside, California, were arrested.
LOOK:
A single-engine Piper PA-28 plane landed on State Route 76 in Oceanside, California overnight and narcotics were found onboard, according to the Federal Aviation Administration and local police. pic.twitter.com/z3fjWEqPgP
— Anthony Scott (@AnthonyScottTGP) September 28, 2024
Per USA Today:
Two people were arrested after their single-engine plane made an emergency landing on a Southern California highway, and a “large quantity of narcotics” was discovered aboard, according to multiple reports citing local police.
The Piper PA-28 aircraft landed around 1:43 a.m. near Canyon Drive on Highway 76, which runs through San Diego’s North County region, the Oceanside Police Department said, per KTLA and KUSI.
The pilot told police that the plane’s engine was failing, according to the department, per the California-based TV stations. Neither of the individuals aboard the aircraft suffered injuries, police said.
Oceanside police shared a Facebook post on Thursday morning advising the public that a small plane landed on the highway and was blocking a lane of traffic.
Plane loaded with drugs makes emergency landing on Southern California highway: https://t.co/ya4ww07caA
@fox5sandiego pic.twitter.com/XTt1LFkskR
— KTLA (@KTLA) September 26, 2024
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently investigating the incident.
