"22-Romeo Golf, Turn Right On Hwy 933, Hold Short At The Red Light"

When 25-year old Craig Miers of Windham, NH, got up Tuesday morning, he probably had no intention of becoming a hero by the end of the day. But that's just what happened when his Pilatus PC-12 Eagle was forced down over Roseland, IN. Miers landed the aircraft in the middle of lunchtime traffic.

"He told me he got it over an intersection and dove it under some power lines," the pilot's father, Stephen Miers, of New Hampshire, told the South Bend Tribune in a telephone interview.

"We're happy to be alive," said investment banker Robert F. Greenhill Jr., one of three passengers on the aircraft.

Greenhill and his fellow passengers were in South Bend to negotiate a deal at Notre Dame. They left South Bend Airport at a little after 1300 local, headed back to White Plains, NY.

They didn't get very far. Almost immediately after take-off, Miers called the tower at South Bend Regional Airport, saying he was having engine problems and asking to return to the field.

"We had to find a place to land but we had no options," said Greenhill. "It's hard to find the best alternative. There are no good options when you're over South Bend."

But Miers found that alternative, putting the aircraft down on Highway 933.

"We lost our engine, came down and landed on a busy road. It is very lucky that we didn't hit another car or have a vehicle hit us. We're just incredibly lucky." said passenger Nicholas Chermayeff.

The PC-12's (file photo of type, below) wing did clip a lightpole. The wingtip sheared off and there was a fuel spill, but no fire, according to officials.

To say the local townspeople were impressed would be an understatement.

"I want to shake that guy's hand," said Aaron Bolin of the PC-12's pilot. Bolin told the Tribune he saw the plane land from a nearby gas station. "I saw it going down. I couldn't believe there were no cars there. It was skidding and jumping and then it hit a pole. I heard the brakes skid."

Of course, Miers' father is one proud papa. "He is a great pilot," Stephen Miers told the South Bend paper. "Anybody he has flown for say he's excellent."

FAA Preliminary Accident Report

IDENTIFICATION
 Regis#: 922RG    Make/Model: PC12   Description: PC-12, Eagle
 Date: 12/14/2004   Time: 1819

 Event Type: Accident  Highest Injury: None   Mid Air: N  Missing: N
 Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
 City: SOUTH BEND         State: IN  Country: US

DESCRIPTION
 ACFT DEPARTED SOUTH BEND, IN. (SBN) ENROUTE TO WHITE PLAINS, NY (HPN).
 PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY 7MI SE OF SBN DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE. ACFT WAS
 VECTORED BACK TO SBN BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. ACFT LANDED ON
 HWY 933 NORTH. NO INJURIES TO THE 6 POB AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE IS REPORTED.
 SOUTH BEND, IN

INJURY DATA   Total Fatal:  0
         # Crew:  1   Fat:  0   Ser:  0   Min:  0   Unk: 
         # Pass:   5   Fat:  0   Ser:  0   Min:  0   Unk: 
         # Grnd:        Fat:  0   Ser:  0   Min:  0   Unk: 

WEATHER: 1911Z SBN 26005KT 10SM OVC034 M03/M06 A3047                
OTHER DATA
 Activity: Unknown   Phase: Climb   Operation: General Aviation

 Departed: SOUTH BEND, IN SBN     Dep Date: 12/14/2004  Dep. Time:  
 Destination: WHITE PLAINS,NY HPN   Flt Plan: IFR     Wx Briefing: U
 Last Radio Cont: 3 MI E OF SBN
 Last Clearance: FLY HEADING 310

 FAA FSDO: INDIANAPOLIS, IN (GL11)       Entry date: 12/15/2004

FMI: www.ntsb.gov