Skydiving plane makes emergency landing in Upstate New York backyard

A skydiving plane carrying seven people made an emergency landing in the backyard of an upstate New York home after suffering an engine malfunction, injuring all on board.

The aircraft from Skydive the Ranch made the unexpected landing on Saturday afternoon, according to Fire Chief Matthew Goodnow. 

The trip that was supposed to set the seven skydivers for a jump at 700 feet in the air, took a devastating turn when the engine went haywire in Gardiner, New York, 80 miles north of the city. 

The pilot initially tried to return to the local airport, but the Fire Chief said the craft ‘couldn’t make it’, leading to the backyard landing. 

The divers sustained minor injuries in the last-minute landing of the Cessna Caravan C208B aircraft. 

Although all seven of the passengers suffered injuries, six have refused medical attention.

One went to Mid-Husdon Regional Hospital for evaluation, according to The Poughkeepsie Journal. 

The aircraft was a 1987 single engine that seated 12 according to the Shawangunk Journal. The craft allegedly suffered minor damage. 

The Fire Chief described the landing as likely ‘awful bumpy’.

‘It was in a field compared to a paved runway,’ he added.

Alarm was first raised to the Gardiner Fire Department around 4:30pm. 

The company Skydive the Ranch had no comment on the incident as of Saturday afternoon.

State police are investigating the incident.   

Skydive the Ranch is a popular skydiving company in Gardiner, New York.