28 April 2025

Federal authorities have completed their onsite examination of the HondaJet that ran off the runway and into the waters of Coos Bay earlier this month at Southwest Oregon Regional Airport.

Representatives from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Honda Aircraft Company concluded their inspection of the wreckage. Investigators and the insurer are now analyzing data to determine what led to the incident.

The 2019 Honda HA-420 HondaJet skidded off the end of Runway 23 just after 6:00 a.m. on April 7, 2025, and came to rest in about five feet of water, approximately 100 feet east of the paved runway surface. Emergency responders were alerted by a distress message sent from a cell phone onboard. ARFF personnel, local first responders, and the U.S. Coast Guard arrived quickly.

All four passengers and the pilot were transported to Bay Area Hospital by Bay Cities Ambulance. Three were treated and released the same day, while the others required additional care and were discharged within 24 hours.

HondaJet in Water at Southwest Oregon Regional Airport_April 7, 2025

Aircraft being lifted by crane working on RR Bridge_April 7, 2025

Booms placed near HondaJet Aircraft while Investigation is Underway

The aircraft was brought onshore by barge and crane, doing work for the Port of Coos Bay later that morning. The airport resumed operations by midday, including a commercial United Express flight. Rodger Craddock, Executive Director of the Coos County Airport District, praised the swift and professional response: “From training to teamwork, this was a demonstration of what goes right when things go wrong. We’re proud of the response and the partnerships that made it possible.”

The NTSB will issue its findings in the next several weeks, but it could take months to determine to complete the entire investigation. The insurance company has also been on site. The wreckage will likely be stored in another location at the airport for up to two years.