VENUS, Fla. – A single-engine airplane with markings resembling those of the Iraqi Air Force made an emergency landing on a country road in central Florida after experiencing mechanical problems, officials said.
No injuries were reported when the plane landed on County Road 731 on Wednesday, the Highlands County Sheriff's Office said.
The plane was owned by a contractor working for the U.S. military and not by Iraq, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
"We've worked plane crashes before, but nothing that has started out as a military secret event, then turned into a military contractor testing out a plane," Sheriff Susan Benton said.
The Cessna 172's pilot, who was the only one on board, was unharmed and taken to the airport to make alternate travel arrangements.
The sheriff's department said it was told the plane was coming out of Miami and headed to Tampa on a U.S. military test flight. The aircraft and pilot were reportedly from either a private or a U.S. defense contractor, according to the sheriff.
The plane had legitimate tail markings, and terrorism was not suspected.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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