On Tuesday November 5, 2024, a HondaJet Model HA-420 bearing Federal Aviation Registration Number N57HP which was owned by Ice Man Holdings LLC crashed due to an attempted aborted takeoff from Falcon Field (KFFZ) in Mesa, Arizona. The aircraft departed the end of the runway, crashed through a perimeter fence and hit an automobile as it was travelling on North Greenfield Road. Tragically, four occupants of the aircraft and the driver of the vehicle perished as a result. One aircraft occupant sustained severe personal injuries.
At approximately 4:40 p.m. the aircraft commenced its takeoff roll for its intended flight from Falcon Field to Provo Municipal Airport in Provo, Utah. The aircraft received its takeoff clearance from Runway 22L which the pilot acknowledged. There were no further communications with air traffic control.
According to ADS-B data, the aircraft accelerated to approximately 133 knots ground speed on the 5,100-foot-long asphalt runway. Pursuant to published data, the decision speed, known as V1, is approximately 110 knots which means that if a takeoff is rejected when the aircraft is travelling more than 110 knots it will be unable to stop on the remaining runway. Here, for reasons that are yet to be determined, the aircraft was unable to gain lift and commenced RTO (Rejected Takeoff) Procedures. Unfortunately, and since the aircraft’s ground speed exceeded the takeoff decision speed, or V1, at the time of the attempted rejected takeoff it was unable to stop on the remaining runway, and it then crashed through a perimeter fence and came to rest after colliding with the vehicle on North Greenfield Road. A post-crash fire ensued.
The HondaJet is marketed as a light business jet and is manufactured by the Honda Aircraft Company in Greensboro, North Carolina. Speiser Krause has successfully represented both flight crew and passengers in runway excursions on takeoff. The Firm recently represented the co-pilot of a Cessna Citation Jet who was tragically killed in a failed takeoff which was caused by an inadvertently set parking brake. In the Cessna accident, the jet departed the end of the runway, then gained lift but stalled crashing into a pole and nearby warehouse. All four aircraft occupants were killed in that crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board (“NTSB”) is the lead federal agency responsible for the accident investigation. The NTSB will examine a host of issues including the aircraft, environmental conditions and pilot actions. It is anticipated that the NTSB will focus on why the aircraft could not rotate (or lift off the runway) despite sufficient ground speed.
A Preliminary Report should be issued by the NTSB within the coming weeks, but the Factual Report detailing the NTSB’s investigative activities will likely take a year or more.