State Police Helicopter Lands Unexpectedly in Summit

A state police helicopter with at least two passengers on board made an unexpected landing Friday morning at the Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, said Lt. Stephen Jones, of the state police.

The report originally came in as a plane crash near the Short Hills Mall, but both Millburn Police and state police said that report was erroneous.

Jones said the police helicopter was on its way to the Morristown Airport when inclement weather required it to land at the Canoe Brook Country Club around 9:40 a.m.

"Nobody got hurt, it landed as a precaution because of extreme weather," said Jones.

He said the chopper was not on the ground that long before lifting off again and completing its original trek. Jones said the pilot and his crew waited on the ground for snow flurries to pass before continuing in their route.

Jones said state police helicopters routinely fly in and out of Morristown Airport.

Millburn Police Lt. Peter T. Eakley also confirmed there were no injuries and that the helicopter landed because of weather, not because of any equipment failure of mechanical problems.

The Canoe Brook Country club is about two miles away from the Mall at Short Hills. Calls to the Mall were referred to its head of security, who was not immediately available.