"You don’t expect to see a plane land on the street in front of you every day,” Rudy de Leon said.

That came after the engine failed on a Piper Cherokee with a student at the controls. Daniel Schrader from Orange Coast College told The Coast Report Online, "during an exercise designed to teach students how to take off and land an aircraft, known as a touch and go exercise, the engine stopped and the instructor was forced to take control of the plane."

Cars at the busy intersection near John Wayne Airport made room for the aircraft which touched down and rolled to a stop.

A YouTube user going by CalicoStrike captured dash-cam video, you can see it below.

The Orange County Register confirmed there were no injuries, and although it was the student's first flight with the school, he has decided to remain in the program.

http://youtu.be/CZydrXAq2pY

About the Author

Keep Reading

Ernie Suggs, a reporter at the AJC since 1997, reviews a selection of articles he has contributed to during his time with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, as of Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Featured

University of Georgia students are seen entering and leaving the main Library on the Athens campus on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez