Miami Standard (San Diego, CA) – A helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing on a road near Interstate 15 in northern San Diego County on Sunday afternoon after its engine failed, authorities said.

The incident occurred around 2:20 p.m. when California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers and deputies from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department responded to reports of a helicopter landing on North Centre City Parkway near Jesmond Dene Road in unincorporated Escondido.

Officials confirmed that the pilot managed to land the aircraft safely, avoiding the heavily traveled I-15 freeway. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. However, the emergency landing caused temporary traffic congestion on the nearby interstate.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were notified of the incident and authorized CHP to remove the helicopter from the roadway.

Authorities have not released further details on what caused the engine failure, and an investigation is ongoing.

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