A Skydive Canyonlands pilot escaped without injuries, after his plane lost power as it was preparing to land at Canyonlands Field Airport at about 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 13. No one else was on board the aircraft when it landed in the desert approximately one-third of a mile from the runway. Skydive Canyonlands owner Paul Gray said that actions by a relatively inexperienced pilot contributed to “uncoordinated flight and fuel starvation,” and that the National Transportation Safety Board will be looking into the incident. Among other damage, the plane’s landing gear was ripped off during the landing in the soft soil, but Gray said that he expected the aircraft to be repaired within a few weeks. Skydive Canyonlands is one of two skydiving companies operating out of Canyonlands Field.
