Skilled pilot makes emergency landing in field near Gunnison regional airport

Pilot uninjured, plane undamaged 

By Adam Broderick

A single-engine plane took off from the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport on Friday, July 3 and shortly after takeoff started losing engine power. When the pilot, who was flying alone in the Piper Super Cub two-seater, tried to get back to the runway, he realized he would not make it due to crosswinds.

Airport manager Rick Lamport said the pilot elected to land in a field about three-quarters of a mile south of the airport, on airport property that is leased out to ranchers. “The landing was uneventful—maybe a bit bumpy,” Lamport said. “It was just the pilot on board and no injuries or damage. The pilot did a good job by putting it down in the field.”

“It is a small utility bush-type aircraft, perfect for flying in the mountains,” Lamport continued. “These little planes can land very slow and are suited to operating out of unprepared strips.”

The pilot had planned to do a quick round-the-pattern kind of flight, basically just taking off, flying around the airport and landing. The reason the plane’s engine lost power was still unknown as of Tuesday, July 7, but Lamport said all ended well.

“I want to thank the EMS responders, as well as the ranchers who spent hours moving the plane out the field, as it was wet with long grass and they had to cross over a couple of ditch streams. Just as well, it is a very light, little plane! Eventually they got it out to Gold Basin road, put it on flat bed and got it back to the airport,” Lamport said.