A pilot and a passenger aboard a small airplane that crash-landed in the front yard of a Utah home on Saturday afternoon both walked away without major injuries, authorities said.
The Piper Saratoga, a single-engine propeller plane, was making its approach to land at the Spanish Fork Airport around 2:30 p.m. when the pilot reported hearing the engine sputtering before it failed completely, the city of Spanish Fork said in a news release.
"[The pilot] made a mayday call and tried to make it back to the Spanish Fork Airport but didn’t have the speed or altitude to do so," city officials said.
The pilot attempted to land in an open field to avoid hitting a power substation, I-15 or any nearby structures.
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The plane skidded across the field after clipping a power line and came to rest in the front yard of a residential home, which was across the street from the field.
The homeowner, who was inside at the time, told KUTV that he didn't hear the plane land outside his window.
"I was in the house watching TV, and then all of the sudden the dogs came in — they were acting really strange, jumping up on me, and I got to go check it out, so I look out my window and I see the plane in my front yard," he told the station.
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Both male occupants of the plane were able to get themselves out of the aircraft before crews arrived at the scene, officials said. No update on their conditions was immediately provided.
The cause of the engine failure was unclear. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.
The plane is likely a total loss, according to officials, who estimate that the damages total $350,000.
Spanish Fork is the fourth-largest city in Utah County and is located about 52 miles south of Salt Lake City.
