Additional details about the 11 Nov. 1976 Sky West flight with engine failure, which made a precautionary landing in Delta, UT (the flight that appears highly likely to have been Nelson's scary flight) as found in the 1977 Civil Aeronautics Board Report, specifically appears to contradict Nelson's story.
There are about 25 pages of text in which details about this flight are interspersed. The commentary about that flight, and 2 others, comes up only because a C.A.B. order is the topic of traffic route litigation.
That Nov. 11 plane, investigations revealed, could have continued on to SGU or returned to SLC, but landed "at the nearest airport" as a precautionary measure (not in a field or "off airport"). In fact, the same reports note two other Sky West engine-failures occurring between Oct-Nov 1976 were single-engine planes that specifically landed "off airport."
https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/ ... ff-airport
Page 762-787 - reporting facts related to a lawsuit filed by the city of Page, AZ in response to Airwest's application to delete service to Page. Order 77-1-133 denied Airwest's application, but authorized suspended service to Page for 3 years, contingent on a specified level of service by Sky West. Page, AZ and the state of Arizona filed petitions seeking to overturn order 77-1-133, resulting in significant back and forth.
Among the arguments made by Page related to Sky West's safety record, specifically 3 engine failures during the period of Oct-Nov 1976, which included the "scary" flight which now appears to be on the public record as it is shown that his flight, a two-engine craft flying from SLC to SGU on Nov. 11 1976, experienced one engine failure, and made a precautionary landing in Delta UT, the nearest airport.
Relevant text below, from pages 782-783.
"SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS"
...In its reply to Airwest's answer to Page's motion for stay pending judicial review (p.4) filed March 14, 1977, Page alleged that Sky West had experienced "three emergency landings in the last three months."
Due to the seriousness of the matters alleged, the staff requested that the FAA update its safety and compliance report in light of the facts alleged. That updated report (which indicates that the referenced occurrences were merely incidents, not accidents; the carrier was not in any way at fault; and there is no reason for the Board to act unfavorably as to Sky West) was served upon all parties (and Sky West) as an attachment to order 77-4-50, April 11, 1977 (73 C.A.B. 1087) which established procedures for the filing of comments and answers with regard to the report.
Comments were filed by Arizona and Sky West, and Airwest filed an answer to those comments). ... For the record, the facts surrounding each of the incidents in question is set forth below.
Each of the incidents involved the failure of the engine. Two of the three incidents involved single-engine aircraft of the type which Sky West operates in charter service, not in scheduled commuter operations. The third engine malfunction occurred on a twin-engine Navajo being operated in scheduled commuter operations. Although the aircraft could have continued to its destination or the originating station on one engine, in accordance with the company's operations manual, the pilot made a precautionary landing at the nearest airport. Once again, there were no injuries to any person, property, or the aircraft. As a result of the unfortunate coincidence of these three unrelated engine malfunctions within a short period of time, the incidents in question were investigated in depth by the FAA as well as the two engine manufacturers. ...
Additional detail about the Nov. 11, 1976 flight might be found online if we can find more information about the legal proceedings. Footnotes on the above-mentioned pages reference the following sources, but I'm not sure where to find them:
"Page's motion for stay pending judicial review"
"Arizona petition for reconsideration"
"Utah Parties' petition for reconsideration"