Honda HA-420 N704JT

Summary

On 12 October 2022 at about 16:55 local time, a Honda HA-420 registered N704JT, operated by Protocom Aviation, was involved in an accident near Holland, Michigan, United States. 6 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 October 2022 at 16:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Holland, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

West Michigan Regional (BIV)

Coordinates

42.7428, -86.1078

Aircraft

Honda HA-420

Registration

N704JT

Category

Airplane

Year built

2021

Engines

2

Operator

Protocom Aviation

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Destin → Holland

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN23LA286

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with gusty wind which exceeded the maximum crosswind of the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that about 30 minutes before arrival, the crew obtained weather information which showed a left crosswind component of 25 knots (kts) for runway 26. When they flew closer to the airport, the crew requested current wind from air traffic control and determined the crosswind component to be about 17 kts. On landing, the pilot lost directional control of the airplane as it weather-vaned. Despite the use of full right rudder, the pilot could not regain control of the airplane. As the wind subsided, the pilot corrected the airplane back to the runway centerline when another gust of wind pushed the airplane off the right side of the runway. During the runway excursion, the right wing collided with a runway light which resulted in substantial damage to the forward spar lower flange. The airplane was limited to a maximum crosswind of 20 kts. Several minutes after the airplane landed, the automated weather reporting station recorded wind from 190° at 16 kts with gusts to 27 kts.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.