Engine failure forces pilot of small plane to make emergency landing on B.C. highway: police

Mounties in southeastern British Columbia say the pilot of a small plane used Highway 6 as a runway after experiencing engine trouble.

Police said a member of the public informed them on Tuesday morning that the plane was parked on the side of the highway, near Salmo.

When highway patrol arrived, RCMP said, the officer found a 1969 single-engine aircraft pulled off to the side.

Police said the pilot was nearby and told the officer that the aircraft suffered "catastrophic engine failure."

RCMP said the pilot made the decision to try for an emergency landing on the highway.

While the plane's engine was notably damaged, police say the rest of the plane was undamaged and the pilot unharmed.

Cpl. James Grandy, media relations officer with the RCMP, said the plane looked like it was just pulled off to the side and was not blocking or impeding traffic. 

"I think he probably made a pretty good decision to land it when there wasn't much traffic coming at the time," Grandy said on CBC's Daybreak South. 

He said the plane was later towed and officers have notified Nav Canada, the organization that regulates and monitors air traffic in Canada. 

"I don't think it would go under a motor vehicle infraction," said Grandy.