While taking his Piper Tri-Pacer airplane from Munising to Marquette Sawyer Regional Airport for unrelated maintenance, Ryan Graves encountered severe mechanical problems with the plane that forced a landing on M-94.

Graves said that he began experiencing engine problems as the engine was “cutting in and out” and was unable to safely land at the airport.

While the road was empty of vehicles at the time, Graves radioed authorities to his intention and landed the airplane on the highway rather than risk landing on unknown terrain.

The plane was subsequently towed to the airport on the back of a truck, neither the pilot nor his passenger was injured. The landing did not involve property damage or injury to anyone in the plane or on the ground.

The Forsyth Township Police, Forsyth Fire and EMS, and Marquette County ARFF cleared the scene quickly.

Mr. Graves had flown from Munising to Sawyer to have some work done on an unrelated part of the plane.

The Piper Tri-Pacer is a small, light-weight aircraft that holds up to three passengers.