Small plane lands amid traffic on Indiana 49
By Maria Amante mamante@post-trib.com/648-3072 June 26, 2012 6:34PM
A small plane landed on State Road 49 in Valparaiso near the Porter County Airport Tuesday afternoon.| Andy Lavalley~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: July 28, 2012 6:33AM
VALPARAISO — Traffic briefly slowed on southbound Indiana 49 after a small passenger plane made an emergency landing on the highway. No injuries were reported.
The pilot, who has not been identified, was experiencing engine trouble after taking off from Porter County Airport, according to a witness.
“The engine was running rough,” said Rex Polovitch, a mechanic at the scene. “He was coming back from Chesterton and went north then turned (to come back to the airport) and (the engine) died, about a quarter mile short.”
According to a Federal Aviation Administration registry, the plane is a Taylorcraft DCO-65 and is owned by Hobart resident Tony Vendramin.
The plane most likely could have gotten into the air again at the scene to return to the airport, he said, but federal regulations would have required the landed plane to be transported using a tow truck.
