New York ( CNN ) -- A small plane with apparent engine trouble made a forced landing Saturday on a busy highway in the Bronx , injuring three people , authorities said . The 1966 Piper PA-28-180 aircraft landed about 3:20 p.m near the East 233rd Street exit on the Major Deegan Expressway , authorities said . It appears the single-engine plane avoided cars on the normally busy highway that connects the Bronx with Westchester County , said police spokeswoman Annette Markowski . The sight of a small plane on its belly near the snowy edge of the highway surprised passing motorists . `` It did n't look like it crashed or hit any cars , '' said Patricia Sapol , 29 , who was driving south on the highway with her husband shortly after the landing . `` It did n't look damaged in anyway . It was remarkable , to be quite honest . '' She added , `` We 're like , Is this really happening ? There 's a plane on the highway . It was pretty neat . You do n't see that every day . '' Police said there were three people on board : the pilot and two passengers . The three were were taken to St. Barnabas Hospital , fire department spokesman Frank Dwyer said . A hospital spokesman , Steve Clark , said one man and two women were transported . Two refused treatment and a woman was treated for a minor head injury , he said . The three were to be discharged . Fire officials initially said the three suffered serious injuries . Images from the scene showed the small plane on the highway , surrounded by emergency vehicles and first responders . There was no immediate information about damage to the aircraft or traffic on the highway at the time of the landing , authorities said . The northbound lanes on the Major Deegan -- where the plane landed -- were closed until about 6 p.m. , police said . The plane is registered to a resident of Westchester County .
Forced landing in the Bronx on major highway . 3 people on board . No reports of any vehicles struck by the aircraft .