Sometimes you just got to land. If you're flying South East out of Grand Junction, and experience problems, a nice landing strip comes in handy. It happened recently, and it has happened before.

Earlier this month, a pilot landed his small aircraft on Highway 50 just outside of Delta, following engine problems. Landing on the highway is no doubt preferable to trying to land on Grand Mesa. The highway isn't quite as bumpy. We hear about plane crashes all the time. Do people usually walk away? Apparently, walking away unharmed following this kind of landing is not at all uncommon.

KREX-TV
KREX-TV
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Back in 1948, another small aircraft landed between Whitewater and Delta. Looking at the aftermath, it looks more like a minor inconvenience than an airplane crash.

Robert Grant
Robert Grant
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According to the California Airport and Pilot's Weblog, general aviation airplanes have one of the world's best safety records when compared to other forms of transportation. Since 1950, the accident rate per 100,000 hours of flying is down by 93%.

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