An 18-year-old pilot made a daring landing on a busy California highway Monday when the plane he was flying lost power.
Brock Peters was flying his family to breakfast outside of San Bernardino when the single-engine Piper PA-28 plane lost power, forcing him to quickly find a place to land, Fox News reported.
“We’re coming down through the pass and I heard a pop in the engine and I lose all power,” Peters told Fox 11. “At that point I didn’t have any space or time to get to any other airports, and this was my only option, my only shot to get down. Got under the power lines and pulled it off to the side,” he said.
Brock Peters, 18, landed a single-engine plane with family members onboard in the Cajon Pass Monday morning. Peters spoke to CBSLA Tuesday morning.https://t.co/L4CBIf2ZZ4
— KCAL News (@CBSLA) January 3, 2023
Peters, who has been flying since 16-years old, remained cool under the pressure, even though his grandmother was crying in the seat behind him. “I had to tune her out and tune everybody on,” he told the outlet.
Peters safely maneuvered the plane and his three passengers until he landed it in the Cajon Pass, part of the Historic Route 66 Highway, Fox News reported. “When I felt the wheels touch down, that’s when I was like, ‘OK, we’re good,'” Peters said. (RELATED: Horrifying Footage Shows Small Plane Crash Into A Truck Full Of People On California Highway Before Bursting Into Flames)
The Piper PA-28 plane was a rental, though Peters claims everything looked to be in working order before he began the flight. The National Transportation Board is investigating what went wrong, the outlet reported.
Peters has not been deterred from flying because of the incident, telling Fox 11 that he hopes to be an airline pilot someday.