Makes Emergency Landing On Interstate

It was, perhaps, not the best way to endear himself to possible voters... but Max Linn, former flight instructor and current Reform Party candidate for governor of Florida, had little choice but to land his plane on Interstate 4 near Orlando Friday afternoon, after the Cessna 172 experienced apparent engine failure.

Tom Macklin, Linn's running mate, told the Associated Press Linn left St. Petersburg Friday bound for Orlando, but opted to land in Lakeland after experiencing unspecified problems with the plane. Macklin said after the plane was checked, Linn decided to continue flying to Orlando.

The plane experienced engine trouble about 45 minutes later, Macklin said, forcing an emergency landing on the interstate. The plane appears to have suffered little damage from the ordeal, according to the AP.

The incident closed a lane of the major east-west interstate through central Florida for an hour, according to police dispatch reports. Crews were eventually able to push the plane into the median to clear the roadway.

Campaign assistant Nora Wing said Linn was heading from Lakeland to Orlando to drop off campaign materials, and rented the plane from a St. Petersburg flying service as Linn's plane was in the shop.

Polls show Linn trailing Republican Charlie Crist and Democrat Jim Davis leading up to the November 7 election to succeed Jeb Bush as governor of Florida.

FMI: www.maxlinn.com, www.faa.gov