Flight students make emergency landing on road

Pilot, co-pilot forced to land on Palm Coast Parkway after engine dies

PALM COAST, Fla. – Two flight students made an emergency landing on a road in Palm Coast on Thursday, authorities said.

According to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office, the single-engine Cherokee arrow plane, a type of Piper plane, was flying over the B Section, also known as Indian Trails, when its engine died. The students were forced to make an emergency landing in the 4800 block of Palm Coast Parkway, deputies said.

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Pilot Raul Dsouza, 35, and co-pilot Joo Lee, 35, both attend the Phoenix East Aviation flight school in Daytona.

Authorities said Dsouza and Lee made a mayday call at 6:37 p.m. Wednesday to air traffic controllers, explaining they were in a plane in distress. The air traffic controllers were able to guide the plane down.

The plane was heading eastbound when it landed in the westbound lane on Palm Coast Parkway near Belle Terre.

During the landing, the left wing clipped a semi hauling cars, deputies said. The semi was parked on the side of the road while unloading.

A car driving down the road swerved into a ditch to avoid the plane.

One of the plane's lights was also clipped off.

Authorities said Palm Coast Parkway was shut down for 40 minutes. People were able to push the plane out of the road.

No Injuries were reported.

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Two flight students made an emergency landing on a highway in Palm Coast on Thursday, authorities said.