FLAGSTAFF, Arizona — Authorities in Coconino County responded to an emergency airplane landing near Interstate 40 and Buffalo Range Road on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 10:44 a.m., according to a media release from Sheriff Bret Axlund posted two hours ago. The Flagstaff plane landing involved a single-engine aircraft piloted by a woman who safely touched down after engine trouble.
The pilot, en route from Flagstaff to Dallas, and ultimately Michigan, to deliver the plane to its new owner, reported hearing a loud pop mid-flight, followed by oil spraying onto the windshield. Fearing loss of visibility, she executed the Flagstaff plane landing in an open field about 250 yards north of I-40 near Buffalo Range Road. Deputies reached the site by 11:23 a.m., finding the pilot uninjured. Medical personnel evaluated her on scene, and no injuries were reported.
The National Transportation Safety Board has taken over the investigation into the Flagstaff plane landing, with support from the Winslow Fire Department noted in the response effort. No further details on the aircraft or pilot’s identity were released. Social media comments praised the pilot’s skill, with one noting, “Great job to the pilot for setting it down safely!”
This incident follows a pattern of aviation emergencies in the region. In February 2025, a plane made a snowy field landing near Flagstaff, per 12news.com, with no injuries. The cause of today’s engine issue remains under review as the Coconino County response wraps up.
