… Lands in Hot Water

A pilot was forced to make an emergency landing on a major Missouri highway after his single-engine, Piper Cherokee ran out of fuel shortly after departing Warrensburg, Missouri. Arriving police arrested the pilot—35-year-old John Seesing of Prairie Village, Kansas—upon determining he was intoxicated and in possession of drugs. Mister Seesing was the only person aboard the aircraft.

The incident took place on Highway 70, approximately twenty-miles southeast of Kansas City, Missouri. 

Flight-tracking data indicates the Cherokee—prior to its inauspicious arrival on Highway 70—had flown from Kansas City to Daytona Beach, Florida. After a brief stay in the Sunshine State, the aircraft and Mister Seesing started back toward Kansas City, with stops in Tennessee and Warrensburg. Shortly after departing the latter, Seesing advised air-traffic control that he’d run out of fuel, then proceeded to make the emergency landing at approximately 02:30 CDT. 

Troopers responding to reports of a small plane blocking the westbound lanes of I-70 near the Kansas City suburb of Grain Valley found the Cherokee had impacted a guardrail during its landing roll, but had avoided hitting any road vehicles. Mister Seesing suffered minor injuries for which he was treated at a nearby hospital—where he also underwent blood testing in connection with the incident.

Seesing now faces charges of driving while intoxicated, careless and imprudent operation involving a motor-vehicle accident, felony possession of controlled substances, felony possession of a firearm, possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.
The incident is under further investigation of local authorities and the Federal Aviation Administration.  

FMI: www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-F/part-91/subpart-A/section-91.17