All Safe after Pilot Lands Caravan on Virginia Highway

A Cessna Caravan made an emergency landing on a highway in Virginia on January 19th,  just four minutes after takeoff from nearby Dulles International Airport (KIAD).

In a snowstorm, 27-year-old pilot Ahmed Awais was able to safely land the turboprop single—operating as Southern Airways Express Flight 246, headed to Lancaster Airport in Pennsylvania, per the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority—on the westbound lanes of a highway in Loudoun County.

According to the Virginia State Police, the only property damage was to the guardrail on the right side of the parkway. A released recording of the conversation between the regional airliner and air traffic control had the copilot declaring a mayday, and then quickly reporting the Caravan was on the ground “across from Wendy’s and Aldi.”

The two crewmembers and five passengers exited the airplane without injury. “We are thankful to our pilots, who did exactly what they were trained to do—to put the safety of our passengers first,” noted Southern Airways CEO Stan Little. “We are working closely with the authorities to thoroughly investigate the situation, and we will take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety and security of our passengers and our fleet.”

Photos from the scene—taken before the aircraft was removed from the roadway and towed back to KIAD—show damage to the Caravan’s prop. The cause of the emergency landing is not yet determined. The FAA and the NTSB are investigating.