Edhat Staff
Update by the edhat staff
4:00 p.m., August 21, 2023
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department confirmed an airplane crash landed in the Santa Ynez Valley on Monday afternoon.
At 3:09 p.m. the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and Fire Department received a report of a plane crash near Zaca Station Road.
Crews responded to the area, approximately two miles north of Highway 154 and discovered a Cessna 172 in a field.
The County Fire Department states the plane was experiencing mechanical difficulties and it was unable to return to the Santa Ynez Airport.
The pilot, who was the only occupant in the aircraft, landed in a field near the highway. They did not sustain any injuries.
This is a developing story.
Aircraft Down in Santa Ynez Valley
By ScannerAndrew
3:11 p.m., August 21, 2023
Firefighters are responding to a report of an aircraft down northwest of Santa Ynez
Copter 3 to conduct an aerial search
Air support called air traffic control and advised they lost radar contact 2-3 miles northwest of Santa Ynez airport
Plane located on Zaca Station Rd
Single occupant with no injuries
If you can walk away from a landing, it’s a good landing.
Crash? Not.
This is a forced approach. Or a very successful emergency landing. It is most certainly not a crash. Nice job, Pilot!
Photo makes it look like a high risk of fire into the high risk area. I trust the pilot had firefighting equipment available if needed?
I’m a private pilot (instrument rated and with aerobatic hours), and I would not classify this as a “crash” but as an emergency landing. When you are getting ready to solo, you practice and demonstrate emergency procedures. One might not land in a field, but you learn that sometimes it is the most viable option. Any landing you can walk away from is a good landing. Any landing where they can use the plane again is a great landing.
Personally, I know absolutely nothing about flying a plane. Therefore I have no opinion to offer, however, I am glad the pilot made it out in one piece!
Just curious, how do they get it out of there? Is it able to take off or do they tow/trailer it out? I can’t imagine how happy the pilot and his/her family must be that it wasn’t worse!