Plane Loses Power and Lands on I-75 near Tampa

IT'S A BIRD, IT'S A PLANE, IT'S - LANDING?

By MIKE WELLS

The Tampa Tribune

SUN CITY CENTER - A small plane carrying two people lost power Friday afternoon over south Hillsborough County, prompting its pilot to make an emergency landing on Interstate 75.

No one was hurt when the plane landed shortly before 4 p.m. north of the State Road 674 exit. The pilot was Marc Levine, 44, of Palm City in Martin County, Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Larry Coggins said. The co-pilot was Richard Rescigno, 59, of Hobe Sound, also in Martin County.

Aviation records indicate the twin-engine Piper PA-23-250 is owned by Rockin' Robin's Flying Service of Palm City. A phone message left at the business was not returned.

Levine landed the plane on the northbound lanes of I-75 and taxied it into the center grass median, Coggins said.

The pilot told authorities that one engine lost pressure and the second one was beginning to weaken when he decided to make the emergency landing, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue spokesman Bill Watson said.

The Federal Aviation Administration would not permit the pilot to attempt to fly the plane off the median. It was to be removed today, officials said.

Although the plane was parked away from the northbound and southbound lanes of I-75 and traffic had not been diverted, drivers slowed to look at the plane, delaying southbound traffic.

The white plane with navy blue and maroon trim sat in the median Friday afternoon as traffic rolled by at an estimated 30 to 35 mph in both directions along I-75. There were no major traffic backups, even though emergency and police vehicles were parked in the median.

"This pilot did an excellent job of taxiing the plane onto the median," highway patrol Maj. Tom Knight said at the scene.

Knight said the patrol would not give clearance for the pilot to fly off the highway median, even if deemed safe to fly.

"We're in a residential area of Ruskin," he said. "There's light poles, and it's just not safe to try and get him out of here."

Knight said the pilot likely would hire a tractor-trailer to remove the plane.

The FAA was on scene to inspect the plane and determine why the engines failed.

When his plane lost power, pilot Marc Levine, 44, of Palm City, landed his twin-engine Piper PA-23-250 on the northbound lanes of Interstate 75, safely avoiding cars and bringing his craft to a halt in the median. No one was injured.

Plane touched down north of Sun City Center Boulevard overpass.

Plane slowed as it continued north on Interstate 75.

Pilot turned plane onto grass median and it rolled to a stop.

Tribune graphic; Source: Florida Highway Patrol

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