A small plane with a student pilot on board made an emergency landing in the middle of morning traffic on a Southern California freeway

The California Highway Patrol says the plane landed safely in the westbound lanes of Interstate 8 in El Cajon after reporting engine trouble.

Authorities say the single-engine Piper was carrying a 25-year-old pilot and a 36-year-old student.

They pushed the plane to the freeway shoulder to avoid blocking traffic.