Single-engine Cessna Caravan forced to land on Virginia road

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the forced landing of a single-engine plane on Loudoun County Parkway in Virginia. The NTSB announced the investigation on their X account on Friday.

“A small plane has landed on the Loudoun County Parkway at Arcola Mills Drive and is blocking all lanes,” the Virginia Department of Transportation said on Facebook.

News reports indicate the turboprop plane had just departed Washington Dulles International Airport before landing on the roadway after its initial climb.

The aircraft, a single-engine Cessna Caravan 208B (tail number N1983X), is operated by Southern Airways Express based in Palm Beach, Fla. The plane was manufactured in 2003.

Founded in 2013, Southern Airways Express is a commuter airline serving nearly 40 American cities across five U.S. time zones. Southern operates a fleet of over thirty aircraft, including the Cessna Caravan/Grand Caravan, the King Air Super 200, and the Citation Bravo.

According to flight tracking data, flight 9X246 was departing Dulles Airport from runway 30 and performed a forced landing on the road approximately two minutes after takeoff.

The aircraft came to a stop at the side of the road and the seven occupants onboard evacuated. Photos of the aircraft show the propeller blades were bent in the emergency landing.