Early in the afternoon on November 13, a training aircraft made an emergency landing on the Pudukottai–Trichy National Highway near Keeranur, in the Northamalai Road area, causing panic among commuters and local residents.
The aircraft, which was on a routine flight from Salem to Karaikudi, reportedly suffered an engine failure midair. The pilots were forced to attempt an emergency landing on the highway just 10–15 minutes after takeoff.
The front portion of the aircraft was heavily damaged in the landing, but no injuries were reported among the pilots or the public.
Officials at the site also confirmed a petrol leak and urged people to leave the area immediately as a safety precaution.
According to media reports, the pilot has been identified as Captain Rahul, who said his 3,000 hours of flying experience enabled him to remain calm and execute the emergency landing safely.
The pilots had warned commuters using light signals before landing, allowing people to move away from the path of the aircraft and avoid harm.
The incident occurred approximately 20 kilometres from the recently renovated Trichy Airport.
Keeranur Police, personnel from the Trichy Air Force, and fire service teams have arrived at the scene and are investigating the cause of the emergency landing.