PAYSON, Utah, Dec. 3, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — The Utah Highway Patrol has released the name of a man fatally injured Monday night when a small aircraft made an emergency landing on Interstate 15.
According to the UHP, Valdecir De Oliveira, 58, of Santaquin, was fatally injured after the plane set down, due to a mechanical failure, in the northbound lanes of the highway near Payson exit at milepost 250.
After the pilot and student pilot made a successful landing, several cars stopped in the lane behind the plane, the UHP said.
“The aircraft was blocking the right lane, and several individuals attempted to push the plane off the road by hand. A Dodge pickup came upon the stopped traffic and could not stop before striking four other vehicles, pushing them into the airplane.
“Multiple injuries were reported, and at least four individuals were transported to local hospitals with varied injuries from minor to serious.”
De Oliveira, identified by the UHP as the driver of the pickup truck, died from his injuries.
“Traffic was diverted off the interstate for approximately 3 hours while crews cleaned up the scene and removed the airplane. The damaged aircraft was towed off the freeway until it could be disassembled enough to be transported. I-15 reopened at approximately 11:30 pm.”
Flight trackers indicated the “2017 Cessna 172 Skyhawk took off from #StGeorge at 1808/6:08 p.m. and landed on I-15 exactly 2 hours later at 2008/8:08 p.m.”
Gephardt Daily will update the story as more information becomes available.
