Traffic camera captures amazing plane landing on Highway 407

A remarkable plane landing on Highway 407 was captured on traffic cameras just north of Toronto earlier today.

The small plane experienced "mechanical difficulties" after leaving Buttonville Municipal Airport in Markham Wednesday morning, forcing the pilot to perform an emergency landing, according to York Regional Police.

The plane landed safely in the eastbound lanes of Highway 407 near Woodbine around 10:50 a.m. with no injuries to the pilot or pilot instructor.

Airplane landed on #Hwy407 at Woodbine Ave. No injuries, no damage https://t.co/bwHU2DoDuh

— OPP Highway Safety Division (@OPP_HSD) October 27, 2021

The pilot told CTV News they experienced engine failure shortly after taking off.

"It started sputtering," he said.

They couldn't make it back to Buttonville and made the "tough decision" to attempt a landing on the highway.

The emergency landing was captured on the Highway 407 CCTV cameras. The small plane is seen gliding to a halt on the, thankfully, nearly empty highway.

🎥 New footage from our CCTV cameras of the plane that made an emergency landing eastbound on 407 ETR just west of Woodbine this morning! The plane has been removed from the scene and our team is in the process of reopening all lanes. pic.twitter.com/DlSDZBTEoz

— 407 ETR Traffic Alerts (@407ETR_Traffic) October 27, 2021

"It doesn't get any more stressful than that, especially when you're flying over built-up areas," said Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt. "Here was the 407 right below them and they made a perfect landing."

The landing is difficult to see in the video, but happens about nine seconds into the footage captured by the traffic camera.

The plane, a 1970s-style Piper Warrior PA-28, had recently undergone maintenance work and had been given "a clean bill of health," Schmidt told CBC.

While some made jokes about the pilot paying their toll, most were astonished that there were no injuries to the occupants in the plane or drivers.

Your new marketing line "Even planes know it's faster to use the 407". You're welcome! k

— Kevin Frankish (@KevinFrankish) October 27, 2021

"Impressive. Good pilot!" one person wrote.

The Highway 407 traffic alerts account tweeted that the plane had been removed by 2:20 p.m.