Casualties unknown

Precautionary Landing on Dirt Road Ends with Wing Tip Scrape and Overshoot (N4547A)

Glen Canyon, UT, US

On June 24, 1985, a Piper PA-22-150 (registration N4547A) was involved in an aviation accident near Glen Canyon, UT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot became lost/disoriented. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot became lost near the end of a cross-country flight and made a precautionary landing on a dirt road. During the flare, a crosswind gust drifted the aircraft left, scraping a wing tip on a dirt bank. The pilot overcorrected with right rudder, causing the aircraft to exit the right side of the road.

Incident Overview

A pilot conducting a cross-country flight from West Jordan to Blanding, Utah, became lost or disoriented near the end of the flight. After realizing fuel quantity was low, the pilot decided to perform a precautionary landing on a dirt road.

Sequence of Events

During the landing flare, a crosswind gust caused the aircraft to drift to the left. As a result, the wing tip scraped against a dirt bank. In response, the pilot applied right rudder to correct the drift. According to the pilot, he overcorrected with the right rudder input, causing the aircraft to veer off the right side of the road. The aircraft subsequently came to a stop off the roadway.

Probable cause

The pilot became lost/disoriented.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001214X36767. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.