Honda Aircraft CO LLC HA-420 accident near Holland, Michigan, October 12, 2022
On October 12, 2022 at about 4:55 pm local time, a 2021 Honda Aircraft CO LLC HA-420, registered N704JT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Holland, Michigan (West Michigan Regional airport). It was a business flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with gusty wind which exceeded the maximum crosswind of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 12, 2022 · about 4:55 pm local time
- Place
- Holland, Michigan · West Michigan Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Honda Aircraft CO LLC HA-420, built 2021 · all HA-420s on the register
- Registration
- N704JT · no longer on the register · serial 42000218
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Runway excursion during landing defining event
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Maximum crosswind component › Capability exceeded
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 15,552 hours in all; 752 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 10,701 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Ge Honda HF120 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Ge Honda HF120 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Protocom Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: KDTS Destin FL at 2:40 pm
- Destination: KBIV Holland MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26, 6,002 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 16 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.65 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KBIV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on October 5, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilots Statements | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Wind Components | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Honda HA420 AFM Excerpt | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Record of Conversation FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.