Plane makes emergency landing on I-4 in Seminole County after running out of gas, officials say

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — A plane was forced to make an emergency landing in the median of Interstate 4 Friday when it ran out of fuel, officials said..

There was no damage done to the plane in the landing and the pilot, Kenneth Heitz, 48, was not injured, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

The emergency landing was reported at about 3:45 p.m.

The single-engine plane could be seen in the paved median between the east and westbound lanes of I-4 near State Road 434.

In a radio call to the tower at Orlando Executive Airport, the pilot said he was the only person on board and had three-quarters of a tank of fuel remaining.

"It's cutting in and out, I'm not sure if we're going to make it," the pilot said of his plane's engine.

The pilot later told troopers that he had run out of gas, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

A short time later, the pilot contacted the tower again, saying he had to make an emergency landing.

"OK, my engine has completely died and we're going to have to put it down right here on the side of the highway," he said.

After the 2016 Carbon Cub Light Sport SS was inspected, it was determined that it was too dangerous to fly it from the median, troopers said.

Florida Aircraft and Salvage responded to the scene to dismantle the plane and tow it to Boyton Beach.

Cox Media Group