Honda HA420 accident near Mesa, Arizona, November 5, 2024
On November 5, 2024 at about 11:39 pm local time, a 2016 Honda HA420, registered N57HP, was destroyed in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Mesa, Arizona (Falcon Fld airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 5, 2024 · about 11:39 pm local time
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · Falcon Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Honda HA420, built 2016
- Registration
- N57HP · registry record · serial 42000033
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On November 5, 2024, at 1639 mountain daylight time, a Honda HA-420, N57HP, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Mesa, AZ. The pilot and three passengers were fatally injured, one passenger was seriously injured, and the single occupant of an automobile was fatally injured. The airplane as operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the survivor, the occupants were flying from Falcon Field Airport (FFZ), Mesa, Arizona, to Provo Municipal Airport (PVU), Provo, Utah to attend a college basketball game. They intended to return to FFZ that same night and did not pack any luggage. A friend assisted the occupants as they entered the airplane and prepared for the flight. According to the friend, the pilot had fueled the airplane from a private fuel tank prior to the flight. He did not know how much fuel specifically was added, but the pilot had communicated to him that there was sufficient fuel for the flight, and that he would refuel at PVU before returning. The friend did not observe the airplane take off. The Air Traffic Control Tower controller cleared the pilot for takeoff from runway 22L, which the pilot acknowledged. No further transmissions were received from the pilot. Security video captured the airplane accelerating on runway 22L until about 3,000 ft from the approach end of the runway (about 2,100 ft of runway remaining). The airplane subsequently began to decelerate and overran the departure end of the runway near centerline. The airplane maintained runway heading and struck the airport perimeter fence located about 600 ft beyond the departure end of the runway before it continued across a roadway. The airplane struck a single vehicle when it entered the roadway, and came to rest upright on the far side of the road. The airplane fuselage fractured forward of the leading edge of the wings and a post impact fire ensued. The wreckage was examined on-scene before being moved to a secure location for additional evaluation. Flight control continuity was verified from the cockpit to all flight control surfaces and all major components of the airplane were identified at the accident site. There was no evidence of any parts separating from the airplane prior to the airplane impacting the perimeter fence. The control column gust lock was located uninstalled. The airplane brake and anti-skid system was examined, and no anomalies were noted. The airplane was equipped with a Garmin 3000 Integrated Flight Deck (G3000) avionics suite. The G3000 is capable of recording flight log data on a removable Secure Data (SD) card and Central Maintenance Data (CMD) within the primary flight display (PFD) and multi-function display (MFD). Flight log data is limited to some airplane performance parameters, engine operating parameters, and limited system operating functions. Flight log data does not record any systems warnings. The SD card was removed from the MFD and the flight log data for the accident flight was recovered. The data showed that during takeoff, the airplane had accelerated to about 130 knots before it began to decelerate. No engine anomalies were noted in the data. Both PFDs and the MFD were removed from the wreckage and sent to the National Transportation Safety Board Recorders Laboratory for download of the CMF data.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 785 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 23, 2023; 182 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,680 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Operator: Ice Man Holdings LLC
The flight
- Destination: PVU Provo UT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 04R/, 5,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from KFFZ, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KFFZ 052354Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 21/M02 A2985 RMK AO2 SLP094 T02061022 10211 20167 56022
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N57HP the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.
