美国北卡罗莱纳州一位87岁的老人日前在驾驶自制飞机飞行时，发动机突然停转，在危机时刻，他成功地将飞机降落在一条车流量稀少的四车道公路上。

　　据美联社11月20日报道，事情发生在当地时间19日下午，居住在北卡罗莱纳州卡里市的退休工程师弗兰克·H·史密斯，正驾驶着一架飞机翱翔在8500英尺的高空，突然间飞机完全失去了动力。飞机急需要找到一处宽敞平坦的地方紧急迫降，这时他看到美国1号公路上有一个路段车流量较少，完全可以在不危及行驶车辆的前提下在朝南的车道上降落。于是，他迅速降低飞行高度并在着陆后沿着公路的一侧向前滑行。

　　史密斯在安全着陆后说：“当发动机停止工作时，你必须马上找个地方降落，1号公路是我当时所能找到的最好地点。我的运气的确不错。”他说，这架飞机是他于1993年亲手制造的，在自己将近30年的飞行生涯中，还是头一次碰到这类的问题。

　　A pilot whose engine died looked around for a smooth emergency landing spot and spotted just what he needed — a four-lane highway that wasn't busy.

　　Frank H. Smith, 87, of Cary was flying his home-built aircraft at 8,500 feet when he lost power Saturday afternoon.

　　He saw that traffic on a stretch of U.S. 1 was light enough for him to land in the southbound lanes without endangering any vehicles, then put his plane down and coasted over to the side of the highway.

　　"When the engine blows, you've got to put it down someplace," he said. "Highway 1 was the best I could do. I lucked out."

　　State Trooper Ed Suttles said no charges would be filed and the National Transportation Safety Board would investigate.

　　Smith, a retired engineer, said it was the first problem he has had in about 30 years of flying. He said the aircraft has given him no trouble since he built it in 1993.