Plane on Minnesota interstate landed by award-winning pilot

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The pilot of a small plane that made an emergency landing on a Minnesota interstate Wednesday was identified as an award-winning member of the U.S. aerobatics flying team. The single-engine Bellanca Viking plane landed and hit a vehicle, temporarily closing part of the highway Wednesday night in the St. Paul suburb of Arden Hills, officials said. The pilot has been identified as 52-year-old Craig Gifford, a Minneapolis resident and competitive aerobatic pilot. Gifford represented the United States in international competition in 2017 and 2019 on the Unlimited Aerobatic Team. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation and Safety Board are investigating.