Pilot Able To Land Safely At Grand Junction Regional Airport

The pilot of an Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros jet managed to land the airplane safely Thursday after striking a cable stretched across the Colorado River Thursday. A portion of the airplane's wing reportedly separated from the aircraft as a result of the collision.

The Grand Junction Sentinel reports that the pilot had just departed from Grand Junction Regional Airport at about 1400 local time, and was able to return to the airport and land. The cable reportedly whipped across nearby Interstate 70, breaking windshields and causing other damage to vehicles on the road. Traffic was limited to one lane in each direction for several hours, but no one was injured.

There was damage to the tail and one of the L-39's wings.

Witnesses said the plane was observed flying low over the Colorado River in De Beque Canyon when it struck the cable.

The name of the pilot was not released, but the Colorado State Patrol indicated on social media that the person flying the airplane was a former F/A-18 pilot.

FAA records indicated that the L-39 is owned by Momentum Foundation Inc. in Tullahoma, TN.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov