News & Reviews News Wire Canadian National line in Michigan becomes landing strip for disabled aircraft

Canadian National line in Michigan becomes landing strip for disabled aircraft

By Steve Smedley | April 21, 2023

Pilot uninjured in emergency landing near Flint, Mich.

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Airplane on railroad tracks
A small airplane made an emergency landing on CN tracks in Michigan on Thursday, April 20. Contributed photo

FLINT, Mich. — A single-engine aircraft made a forced landing on the double-track mainline of Canadian National Railway’s Flint Subdivision Thursday morning, April 20.

The pilot, the plane’s sole occupant, was uninjured in the landing near Linden and Bristol roads west of Flint. According to Michigan State Police, the railroad was contacted to immediately shut down traffic, and both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

The aircraft, a prop-driven Piper PA-28, had just taken off from Bishop International Airport when it developed engine problems and crash-0landed on the tracks here. The pilot, the sole occupant onboard was uninjured.

The line is part of the former Grand Trunk Western Railroad.

8 thoughts on “Canadian National line in Michigan becomes landing strip for disabled aircraft

  1. Kinda brings a different interpretation to the term “intermodal.” As others have commented, great job by the pilot.

  2. That section of track is not a double mainline. One is the main line. (to the right) The other track is a thoroughfare into the Flint railyard.

  3. Damn fine piloting skills! Landed on the rails minimizing damage. And it must have been a dead stick landing to boot. No prop damage.

  4. It appears to be a good forced landing with minimal damage and no injuries. The propeller doesn’t even appear to have struck the ground. That’s the way a forced landing is supposed to be done. A good news story!

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