Pilot Rod Solien made an emergency landing Thursday at the Nebraska City Airport after an engine failed on the Cessna 421 he was flying.
Solien and a passenger were flying from Dallas, Texas, to Omaha when the left propeller on the twin-engine aircraft froze.
Solien said it would have been better if the propeller had “feathered” or kept moving, but its fixed position made it hard to keep altitude. The plane was already facing stiff winds.
Fortunately, the Nebraska City Airport was directly in the flight path.
Solien knew putting down the landing gear would add more drag, so he waited about a mile away on his approach to lower the land gear.
The Nebraska City Fire Department rushed to the airport and was on standy by near the runway when the plane, owned by Ammc Aviation of Madison, Neb., touched down.
From the time Solien notified air traffic controllers that his plane was in trouble to his landing at Nebraska City was less than 15 minutes.
Nebraska City, Neb. —
