CHICAGO—The pilot of a single-engine plane made an emergency landing early Sunday along Chicago's Lake Shore Drive because of mechanical issues.

John Pedersen told the Chicago Sun-Times ( he was flying over the lakefront about 6 a.m. when an elevator on his experimental plane broke, causing the aircraft to shake.



"There's always a risk. I always look for a place to land," said Pedersen, who's been a pilot for five years.


Pedersen, 51, of the Chicago suburb of Lombard, said two cars hit the plane's left wing after he landed, but drove off. The plane was later pushed off the roadway into a grassy area.

"This could have been fatal, been much worse. The toughest thing now is getting it out of here," Chicago Police Sgt. Craig Roberts told the newspaper. Authorities said Pedersen won't be issued a citation.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory said only one person was aboard and that the agency would investigate, which would take several weeks. She said the plane's point of departure and intended destination were still being determined.



Information from: Chicago Sun-Times,