Small plane makes an emergency landing on I-15 and is involved in a multi-car accident

PAYSON – A plane made an emergency landing on Interstate 15 near Payson Monday evening and was involved in a multi-car accident.

According to Cam Roden with the Utah Highway Patrol, the small plane landed in the northbound lanes of I-15 near mile marker 250. DPS reported the plane landed around 8:11 p.m

Sergeant. Jeremy Matthews of the Utah Highway Patrol said the emergency landing was due to apparent engine failure. Roden later confirmed that it was a mechanical failure that caused the engine to fail completely.

Matthews said the plane was dimly lit, making it difficult for cars on the roadway to see it.

Roden reported that the plane landed successfully, but “got caught up in traffic” and collided with five cars on the roadway. On Tuesday morning, Roden said a Dodge pickup truck couldn’t stop without hitting the four other cars and knocking them into the plane.

No one on the plane was injured, Roden said, but four people in the line of cars on the street were injured – two people with serious injuries, one person with moderate injuries and another person with minor injuries. All were taken to a nearby hospital.

Authorities did not say which cars the injured were traveling in, and no identifying information was provided at the time of publication.

A small plane made an emergency landing on Interstate 15 near Payson on December 2, 2024. (Andrew Adams, KSL TV)

The northbound lanes of I-15 were closed while officers worked to investigate the incident and clear the plane, which took a total of three hours, Roden said. The aircraft was towed from the highway until it could be disassembled enough to be moved.

This is a current story and may be updated.