Flightseeing Plane Lands on Parks Highway

A flightseeing plane based out of Talkeetna made an emergency landing on the Parks Highway on Sunday night.  The DeHavilland Beaver, operated by Talkeetna Air Taxi, landed at Mile 125, north of Trapper Creek.  Tim Despain, spokesman for the Alaska State Troopers, says that the pilot began experiencing engine trouble while flying north.  The pilot turned the plane back toward Talkeetna, when Troopers say he suffered a total engine failure and was forced to land the plane on the highway.  Troopers were dispatched at 7:50 pm and found the plane blocking the southbound lane of the Parks.  The aircraft was later removed and the passengers returned to Talkeetna.

Annie Duquette, speaking for Talkeetna Air Taxi, says that the passengers and pilot are uninjured.  She says the plane was returned to Talkeetna by helicopter and the company’s maintenance staff is attempting to determine what caused the engine to fail.