For many driving along State Route 89A in West Sedona on the morning of Sunday, July 5, a small aircraft making an emergency landing was something few had ever seen before. Yet some long-time residents remember a very similar crash landing 16 years earlier.
Around 10:30 a.m., crews from the Sedona Fire District and officers from the Sedona Police Department responded to the site at the intersection of 89A and Mountain Shadows Drive.
The plane, a 1964 Beechcraft A23 Musketeer, experienced engine problems shortly after takeoff from Sedona Airport, SFD Fire Marshal Jon Davis reported.
“The pilot did a remarkable job of flying and landing the plane without hitting any vehicles or people on the ground,” Davis said.
Both occupants of the aircraft denied sustaining any injuries but elected to be transported by ambulance for further evaluation. The aircraft did sustain some damage during the landing attempt and was trucked from the highway. The highway remained open during the event.
According to SPD Sgt. Michael Dominguez, the owner of the plane is Carlberg William Carey Jr. and the plane is registered out of Gilbert.
A SPD document states that “the pilot reported not being able to get lift from the aircraft,” which forced the emergency landing.
The National Trans-portation Safety Board was notified and gave permission to move the plane from the roadway and back to the airport.
“Thankfully, it is not every day that we deal with airplane crashes,” Davis said. “You always fear the worst when dealing with aircraft incidents because the mechanism of injury involves an enormous amount of kinetic energy. It is a huge relief to arrive and find the occupants of the aircraft out and walking around and no injuries from people on the ground.”
A yellow biplane crash-landed less than 1,000 feet to the west on Oct. 2, 2004, striking a car causing minimal damage, and losing a wing, causing the plane to turn right into the Arco gas station before stopping.
