A private plane made an emergency landing in Death Valley National Park after experiencing engine trouble.
The airplane was flying out of Southern Nevada on July 2nd. Suddenly, it experienced engine trouble that ultimately caused it to make an unexpected emergency landing.
The private plane was traveling from Pahrump to Ridgecrest in California. However, it ran into engine trouble as it flew over Death Valley. At this point, the pilot decided to change course for the nearest airstrip, but unfortunately, it could not make it. Instead, the pilot had to make an emergency landing on California Highway 178.
KTNV reported, “Inyo County Sheriff, Caltrans and California Highway Patrol personnel responded and helped to safely escort the aircraft off the highway and onto a wide shoulder where it no longer blocked traffic and could be parked in a safe location. The plane was later removed by trailer, and no injuries were reported.”
Private Plane Makes Emergency Landing in Death Valley
Death Valley has an eerie past (and, of course, an eerie name). However, the location itself is not actually dangerous. It had nothing to do with the plane’s engine errors, despite what some conspiracy theorists might claim.
According to the National Park Service (NPS), “Death Valley was given its forbidding name by a group of pioneers lost here in the winter of 1849-1850. Even though, as far as we know, only one of the group died here, they all assumed that this valley would be their grave.”
“As the party climbed out of the valley over the Panamint Mountains, one of the men turned, looked back, and said ‘goodbye, Death Valley,'” NPS continued. “This name, and the story of The Lost ’49ers have become part of our western history.”
Thankfully, upon landing in Death Valley, were no injuries aboard the private plane.