Golf courses have long played an unexpected role in aviation emergencies—open stretches of fairway becoming impromptu lifelines when flights go awry. One of the most memorable examples came in March 2015, when actor and seasoned pilot Harrison Ford crash-landed a vintage World War II plane on Penmar Golf Course in Venice, California, after suffering engine failure. He survived the harrowing incident, reinforcing just how quickly a peaceful course can turn into a landing strip. Nearly a decade later, a scene reminiscent of that moment unfolded—this time, with PGA legend and licensed pilot Phil Mickelson witnessing closely.
You might know that Phil Mickelson can drive it long on the fairway, but did you know he can also take off in the cockpit? Phil Mickelson’s story in aviation began in the 1990s, thanks to his father, a former naval aviator. In the 1990s, after completing his studies, Mickelson turned pro on the greens and obtained his private pilot’s license to travel to tournaments on the West Coast. Perhaps his love for aviation (and golf courses) led Mickelson to react strongly to a plane crash on an iconic Californian golf course.
Here’s what happened: On Friday afternoon at the famous Riviera Country Club in California, a small plane made an emergency landing. The single-engine plane touched down at approximately 1 PM with three passengers on board. Fortunately, the Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed that no injuries were reported. The aircraft was on its way to Santa Monica Airport, just five miles from the Riviera Country Club.
Taking a note of the situation, Roger Steele shared a video clip of the crash with the caption, “This happened at Riv today. I pray I’m never this late for a tee time, but I do pray for the means to pull up this way if I was .” However, Mickelson, a licensed pilot, reacted more emphatically and made a quote repost saying, “Full flaps. Prop feathered. Looks like everyone is ok .”
According to the latest update, the cause of the emergency landing remains unclear, but the National Transportation Safety Board will conduct an investigation, as is standard for these situations. However, this isn’t the first time Phil Mickelson has shared his insights on plane issues. Just a few days ago, Phil Mickelson reacted to a viral video shared by a popular aircraft account on X. The account posted an old video of a plane taking off and challenged its followers to identify the problem. Mickelson accepted the challenge and responded, “No flaps (usually 10-15 degrees on takeoff. Could not get above ground effect (width of wingspan from ground has more lift) without stalling.”
Full flaps. Prop feathered. Looks like everyone is ok https://t.co/DkedOsDPFa
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) May 2, 2025
What’s more concerning is that in the 2025 season, another golf course experienced a similar incident. In early February, a pilot flying to San Carlos had to make an emergency landing on the Shoreline golf course in Mountain View. The plane was coming from Palm Springs on February 22 when it encountered fuel problems, leading to the emergency landing. The pilot received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. While plane crashes are rare, a 2024 incident nearly endangered several lives at another iconic golf course.
The Haggin Oaks Golf Complex almost saw a tragedy in a 2024 plane crash
“We were on the 16th hole when this happened. Our group heard the loud crash, but we had no idea it was a plane,” said Tim Collin after the golfers present at the scene realised what transpired. Here’s the story: a few hours after the crowd cheered for Scottie Scheffler’s gold medal at the Olympics in France, a very scary incident occurred in his home country at Haggins Oak Golf Course in Sacramento, CA. On August 5, 2024, a small plane made an emergency landing on the iconic golf course, nearly hitting the golfers present before crashing into a pro shop.
Luckily, local security cameras recorded the whole landing. The video is both scary and strange. The Sacramento Fire Department said that the single-engine Piper 28A took off from McClellan Airfield just before 1 p.m. When the plane got to about 400 feet in the air, its engine stopped working. Looking for a safe place to land, the pilot saw the golf course and successfully landed on the grass, sliding across the practice green where golfers were getting ready for their games.
Fortunately, the only injury reported was a minor cut on the pilot’s hand. Despite the close call and the presence of many golfers, no one else suffered any injuries in the incident, which was a relief.
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