Today in San Diego, what looked like a plot twist from a Hollywood thriller unfolded live on Interstate 805. On Saturday, August 16, 2025, just before 5:40 p.m., a Piper PA-28 Cherokee—a fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft—made an emergency landing smack in the middle of the busy southbound lanes of I-805, near Carroll Canyon Road in Sorrento Valley.
The Quick Facts
| Time | Details |
|---|---|
| Departure | Montgomery Field Airport at about 5:05 p.m. |
| Emergency Call | Around 30 minutes after takeoff, the pilot radioed: “Mayday. Mayday. Mayday. Engine Failure. 8150J.” |
| Landing Time | Roughly 5:35–5:38 p.m., plane touched down on the freeway and skidded to rest facing sideways into the center divider wall. |
The Aftermath
- Miraculous outcome: The pilot and one passenger got out unhurt. No one on the ground was injured.
- Traffic chaos: Southbound I-805 was fully blocked initially. Partial reopening started around 6:50 p.m., with full reopening by about 9 p.m.
- Cause: The FAA cited engine trouble as the reason for the emergency landing.
- An aviation expert weighed in on the scene, suggesting the possibility of fuel starvation (i.e., running out of fuel), noting the absence of spillage or fire as a clue.
- Investigations are underway, led by the FAA and local authorities such as the California Highway Patrol.
Eyewitness Reaction (Amber Rivera)
“My husband was yelling, ‘A plane..a plane,’ and I was just like, ‘Ahhh…’ The pilot got out safely, people were stopping… it was very surreal to see.”
