Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from road signs during landing.
NTSB analysis
While on a cross country flight the pilot recognized that he had been using the wrong road to navigate to his destination. He decided to turn around and return to the departure airport. The pilot reported that he was concerned with the approaching night and decreasing light condition. As the amount of light continued to decrease he elected to make a precautionary landing on a road prior to reaching the departure airport. The pilot stated that either during the landing or taxi the underside of the wing was damaged by contact with a road marker. Further damage to the wing caused by contacting additional road markers occurred when the pilot taxied off the road to park the airplane and again when repositioning the airplane. The pilot reported that there were no known mechanical malfunctions or failures with the aircraft prior to the accident.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR10CA338 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jul 3, 2010
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Montezuma, Utah
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Dusk
Amateur-built PIEL DIAMANT
- N-number
- N278JA
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.