Said He Experienced A Fuel Problem With The Airplane

A pilot on a local flight that originated at Chilton County (AL) Airport (02A) executed a safe emergency landing on U.S. Highway 31 in Clanton, AL, Wednesday. The pilot said he experienced an engine problem with his aircraft, the make and model of which were not specified but which was described as an ultralight.

According to the Clanton Advertiser, the pilot's distress call went through a number of channels before getting to local authorities. Clanton Police Department Capt. Neil Fetner said that Chilton County 911 received a call from Atlanta ATC about 2030 local time, saying a pilot in their area had broadcast a "Mayday" call on a Chilton County frequency. The distress call had been relayed by Air Traffic Controllers in Atlanta to the tower at Montgomery, AL, after it was received by a military aircraft that was flying through the area.

The call came in enough time that local authorities were able to close the section of highway where the pilot said he intended to land, and the touchdown went without incident. Fetner said that pilot told him that there had been an issue with the engine that caused him to lose power, but he also needed to refuel. Chilton County Airport officials arrived to check out the plane, which seemed to be fine.

After getting some gas, the plane was given clearance to depart from the highway, and returned to 02A without further incident.

FMI: www.airport-data.com/airport/02A