Update: HondaJet Hits Car, Five Dead
HondaJet overran runway on takeoff according to reports.
Five people died in the collision of a HondaJet with a car in Mesa, Arizona, about 4:40 p.m. on Tuesday. The plane was reportedly taking off from Falcon Field when it overran the runway and crashed into the car on a street bordering the airport. There were five people on the aircraft but it's not clear if all the victims were on the plane or if any were in the car. This is a developing story that will be updated as more details are released.
The FAA issued the following statement: A Honda HA-420 jet crashed at Falcon Field Airport in Mesa, Arizona, around 4:40 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The aircraft struck a vehicle outside of the airport property. Five people were on board the plane. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide any updates.
Update: The Aviation Safety Network is reporting that the still unidentified driver of the vehicle that was struck is one of the five fatalities. Four of those on board the HondaJet, N57HP registered to Ice Man Holdings, LLC of Mesa, were killed. They were identified in news reports as the aircraft owner (it remains unclear who was flying), Spencer Lindahl, 43, who lived in Utah and operated a property management company in Mesa; his business partner Rustin Randall, 48; Drew Kimball, 44 and his son Grahm, 12. According to the reports, Lindahl's 18-year-old son was also on board and was seriously injured.
The flight was destined for Provo, Utah (KPVU). ADS-B data suggests It had accelerated to 133 knots groundspeed before attempting to abort the takeoff about 3,400 feet down 5,501-foot Runway 22 Left at (KMSC). It crashed through an airport fence and onto the road, coming to rest approximately 700 feet from the departure end of the runway.