Plane Lands on 407 Highway in Markham, Ontario

durt · #1 ● 10-27-2021, 11:28 PM

In Markham, Ontario, a dramatic incident unfolded when a small, single-engine plane was forced to make an emergency landing on Highway 407. The plane, which had just taken off from Buttonville Airport, began experiencing engine problems shortly after reaching an altitude of 1,000 feet. The pilot, Ibrahim Kulom, a flight instructor, was accompanied by another pilot on board. They quickly realized that returning to the airport was not feasible due to their altitude and the proximity of buildings.

Declaring a mayday, Kulom made the decision to land on Highway 407. In a fortunate turn of events, traffic on the highway cleared up, allowing for a safer landing. The plane touched down in the eastbound lanes near Woodbine Avenue around 10:50 a.m. and remarkably sustained no damage. There were no reported injuries to the pilots or anyone on the ground.

Kulom described the situation as having no other option, stating it was either the highway or the buildings. His quick thinking and skilled landing were praised as a "textbook landing" by Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt. The incident caused traffic disruptions on Highway 407, but the plane was eventually removed, and all lanes were reopened.

The plane had undergone a routine 100-hour inspection and was making its way back to its home base in Grimsby when the incident occurred.