Two emergency aircraft landings were reported in Arizona this month, including one that struck a pole after landing on a Tucson road, according to local authorities and federal aviation officials.
The Tucson incident happened about 2:44 p.m. May 15 near South Park Avenue and East Bilby Road, where a biplane landed and struck a light pole, according to Officer James Horton, a Tucson police spokesperson.
The plane was only occupied by the pilot who was not harmed in the crash, Horton said.
A small biplane landed on a Tucson street last week after loosing engine power.
The Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft as a Marquart MA-5 Charger, tail number N987JB, FAA spokesperson Rick Breitenfeldt said.
Later that night, a small plane made an emergency landing near State Route 87 and Hunt Highway in Sun Lakes near Chandler, according to Gila River police spokesperson Teaya Enos, who reported no injuries.
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The FAA did not have a report of an emergency landing in that area, Breitenfeldt said.
2026 has seen emergency landings and fatal plane crashes
Arizona has seen several recent aircraft experience emergencies. On May 10, a Cessna C150 made an emergency landing on U.S. 60 near Superior after witnesses reported the aircraft appeared to lose power, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety. No injuries were reported.
On April 12, a small plane that made an emergency landing in central Phoenix on Seventh Street near Missouri Avenue. Three people were aboard the Republic RC-3 when it made a gear-up landing, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. No one aboard the plane or in the surrounding community was injured.
Days later, an F-35A fighter jet assigned to Luke Air Force Base made a precautionary emergency landing after the pilot declared an in-flight emergency while flying over the Phoenix area, according to the U.S. Air Force. The jet landed safely.
Not all recent aircraft incidents in Arizona have ended without loss of life. Arizona recorded five fatal aircraft crashes in 2026, killing 10 people, as of May 13.
The incidents included crashes near Superior, Prescott, Flagstaff, Shawmut and Marana.
