Fuel Issue Fixed, Plane Takes Off Again

A pilot who was experiencing what he thought was fuel starvation was able to safely land on I-25 about 23 miles north of Cheyenne, Wyoming. The pilot, also an A&P, diagnosed the problem and fixed it with tools he had on hand. Then he continued on to his destination in Oregon after departing Scottsbluff, Nebraska earlier in the day.

The aircraft, a Stits SA-7D Sky-Coupe, is a homebuilt that the pilot then first flew to Cheyenne Regional Airport (KCYS) to perform a full inspection before continuing. No further information about the pilot or aircraft was available or given by Wyoming Highway Patrolman Logan Kelly. Kelly, who arrived at the scene and assisted with traffic management as the pilot maneuvered to take off again southbound from the interstate, said that this was a first for him, but that he was just glad it was nothing too serious and that there was a happy ending.

Officer Kelly said, "No one has heard of this before outside of an exercise with the Air National Guard or another military branch."

Levi and Kelsi Dutton were driving down I-25 for their daughter’s softball game when they saw the airplane overhead directly over the highway. Levi said he thought he was pretty sure it was going to land so they slowed down and stopped. Then they checked on the pilot to make sure it wasn’t a medical situation.

"So he popped down and landed right in front of us, so we just hit the brakes and saw him pulling over and thought we should probably stop too,” said Kelsi, who continued, “He said the engine was acting like it was starving for fuel and he thought there was something blocking the fuel line.”

FMI:  www.wystatetrooper.org/