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Plane Makes Emergency Landing On Lake Shore Drive

(CBS) --A Lombard man was not injured after making an emergency plane landing this morning on Lake Shore Drive, reports WBBM's Brandis Friedman.

For the first few hours after daybreak, joggers did double takes as they passed the single engine aircraft along Lake Shore Drive.

Pilot John Pedersen of Lombard left Schaumburg before sunrise in a single-engine experimental aircraft for recreational flight. But he noticed a problem with the rear wing as he passed Willis Tower.

Plane Makes Emergency Landing On Lake Shore Drive

"I didn't have much choice. I was right over Willis so I know Lake Shore Drive is available," said Pedersen.

Cab driver Zaher Halimeh says he was heading northbound on LSD himself when he saw the plane make its emergency landing.

"I had a passenger and we were just talking and all of a sudden that plane was just almost landing and I thought it was going to plunge into Lake Shore [Drive]. It landed like a pigeon I mean it didn't look like it was crashing into anything really," said Halimeh.

Listen: Pilot Makes Mayday Call

Pedersen says he timed his landing to the red light to land on the drive's northbound lanes when fewer cars were on the roadway. Two cars were struck by the plane and fled the scene.

The pilot will not face any charges or citations.

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