Michigan pilot mistakenly lands on Minnesota county road

Published 9:37 am Wednesday, October 24, 2012

ST. CLOUD — A Michigan pilot trying to land at a central Minnesota airport mistook a road for the airstrip in rainy weather.

Sixty-seven-year-old Bruce Deckinga of Petoskey, Mich., intended to land at the St. Cloud Regional Airport for refueling Tuesday afternoon when he landed on a county road.

Sherburne County Sheriff Joel Brott said Deckinga undershot the runway and set the Beechcraft Bonanza on the road.

Email newsletter signup

Deckinga said the weather was “less than ideal” for flying.

Deckinga and his passengers flew in from Pierre, S.D., and were headed back to Michigan. No one was hurt.

The pilot and his passengers helped push the plane onto airport grounds. Deckinga expects to be back in the air Wednesday.