A small aircraft made an emergency landing on Iceland’s Suðurlandsvegur highway in May 2025 after its engine failed, according to the Icelandic Transport Accident Investigation Board, which concluded engine failure was the cause. The incident was first reported by mbl.is on Saturday.
The aircraft involved was a Piper PA-24 Comanche, originally built in 1959. At the time of the emergency, it was on a ferry flight from the United States to the United Kingdom, with several planned intermediate stops to rest and refuel.
Its journey began at Reykjavík Airport, the capital’s main domestic airport. The plane departed at 22:54 on 26 May 2025, destined for Wick in the UK. According to investigators, the only passengers were the pilot and his dog, both uninjured in the landing.
While there was initial confusion over the cause of the forced landing, with one report attributing it to a welding repair, the official investigation determined engine failure as the cause. Authorities have not clarified whether the welding repair may have played a role in the engine failure.
Background
Reykjavík Airport is about two kilometres from the city centre and is operated by the Icelandic state enterprise Isavia. The airport has two runways and serves as the domestic hub for Icelandair flights.
Sources
- mbl.is (first reported) in Icelandic
- Vísir in Icelandic
- mbl.is in Icelandic
