As Freeway Landings Go, It Earns at Least an A-Minus

Anyone who thinks Southern California drivers aren’t courteous obviously hasn’t talked to Mike Manning.

When the engine of his single-engine plane failed Saturday afternoon, the 45-year-old West Covina pilot managed to land safely on the Riverside Freeway in Anaheim -- choosing the less busy of two highways -- and he even ended up in the right lane, allowing traffic to continue with only slight delays.

After all that, when he crawled out of the Cessna 172, he told his passenger and California Highway Patrol officers he wished he’d done better.

“He did a great job,” CHP Officer Colleen Richardson said. “We’re laughing, it’s so nice. All in all, everyone’s safe.”

Still, Manning couldn’t stop worrying about the Honda Accord he hit. He thought all the cars had either braked or accelerated to make room for him, but as he descended, his tire struck the rear window and trunk of the Honda. The car was damaged but no one was injured, including a 4-year-old in the back seat.

Manning and friend Michael Aguilar, 48, had flown from La Verne to Santa Monica for fish and chips at the Spitfire Grill.

They were halfway home when he suffered what he called “catastrophic engine failure” somewhere near Disneyland. He noticed the RPMs start to drop in his rental plane, which had a new engine.

“The airplane started shaking very violently,” Manning said. “It was not a lot of fun.”

Manning, a veteran pilot, reported the problem to air traffic controllers. They steered him to the Fullerton airport, about eight miles away, only to quickly inform him that he wouldn’t make it there because he was losing altitude too rapidly.

He spotted the Costa Mesa and Riverside freeways, opting for the westbound 91 because there were fewer cars and the wind was right.

“He certainly kept his cool,” Aguilar said. “He didn’t freak out at all. He was busy pulling knobs and talking on the radio. I was trying to dry my hands.”

He landed at 1:26 p.m. just east of Kraemer Boulevard, about four minutes after the engine trouble started. The plane’s right wing was slightly damaged when it scraped a fence.

The right lane was blocked for a few hours until the plane could be towed. Traffic crept by; some looky-loos snapped pictures.

As for Aguilar, a first-time passenger in a small plane, he said he’d go back up only if Manning is the pilot.

“It’s kind of sinking in now,” Aguilar said. “I’m going to need a beer -- or two. And a shot.”