An investigation is underway after a single-engine Cessna 208 Caravan plane made an emergency landing on Loudoun County Parkway in Sterling near Arcola Mills Drive.
Virginia State Police reported that it was notified that the emergency landing was occurring at 12:51 p.m.
FAA records show the aircraft, owned by Southern Airways Pacific based in Palm Beach, FL, took off only minutes before from Dulles International Airport and was headed to Lancaster, PA, ABC 7 News reported.
VSP said the pilot was able to safely land the plane in the roadway without striking any vehicles. The front right side of the plane crashed into a guardrail, but apart, from the plane, that railing off the right side of highway was the only thing damaged, VSP added.
Twenty-seven year old Ahmed Awais of Florida was the pilot and was accompanied by a co-pilot whom VSP didn’t identify. There were five passengers onboard the aircraft, including four adults and a 15-year-old boy. No one was injured, VSP confirmed.
As of nearly 3 p.m., the southbound lanes remained closed with VDOT noting that the detour was diverting southbound traffic onto Yardley Ridge Dr, south on Arcola Mills Dr., and back onto SB Loudoun County Parkway.
No information about a potential cause for the emergency landing has been provided. But in a statement shared by 7News, Southern Airways CEO Stan Little said, “We are thankful to our pilots, who did exactly what they were trained to do — to put the safety of our passengers first. We are working closely with the authorities to thoroughly investigate the situation, and we will take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety and security of our passengers and our fleet.”
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