Accident Summary
On April 7, 2025, at 0606 Pacific daylight time, a Honda Aircraft Company HA-420, registration N826E, was substantially damaged in an accident at the airport in North Bend, Oregon. The pilot and three passengers sustained minor injuries; one passenger sustained serious injuries. The flight was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 corporate flight.
Preceding Events
The airplane departed St. George, Utah, at 0409 on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The pilot configured the airplane for the ILS Z approach to runway 5 at North Bend. He had flown this approach regularly—every Monday morning for the past year—transporting company employees from St. George to North Bend, returning each Friday. The front right-seated passenger, the son-in-law of the airplane’s owner, was a student pilot nearing certification but was not flying.
Approach and Landing
During pre-landing procedures, the pilot entered data into the Flight Management System (FMS): runway condition (wet), weather (11°C), flaps (full), runway 5, wind from the airport’s AWOS, and aircraft weight (approximately 9,000 lbs). The FMS calculated a required landing distance of about 4,200 feet, which the pilot considered adequate given the runway length.
The pilot reported that the approach was normal, with a crosswind of nine knots. Visibility was limited due to darkness, and although he did not observe standing water, he was aware of recent heavy rainfall. The airplane crossed the runway threshold at 117–118 knots, slightly above the VREF of 113 knots (adjusted for crosswind). Touchdown occurred about 1,000 feet from the approach end at approximately 113 knots.
Initial braking felt normal, and the pilot anticipated stopping before taxiway Bravo. However, when the airplane was about halfway down the runway, braking became ineffective; no warnings or messages appeared. The pilot and right-seated passenger applied maximum brake pressure with no response. To avoid the localizer antenna at the runway end, the pilot turned right, and the airplane traversed grass and mud before descending a 15-foot embankment into shallow salt water. All occupants exited through the main door.
Investigation Findings
ADS-B data showed touchdown at 0606:14 near the aiming point markings. The airplane decelerated from about 128 knots to 125 knots ground speed, with the last recorded hit near taxiway Bravo. No skid marks or evidence of anti-skid braking were found on the runway. Light tire tracks on the overrun area and grass showed no braking indication.
Runway 5 is 5,980 ft long by 150 ft wide, constructed of grooved asphalt/concrete, with a landing distance available (LDA) of 5,320 ft (excluding a 660-ft displaced threshold for runway 23). The overrun area is about 340 ft, followed by 100 ft of grass and rocks leading to water.
The airplane was equipped with a Honda Aircraft Company Airplane Flight Manual Supplement for wet/contaminated runway performance (Revision A, dated July 20, 2023). The supplement defines a wet runway as having water depth less than 0.125 inch. The FMS software had been upgraded accordingly.
Using the AFMS with conditions of 11°C, weight 9,000 lbs, wet runway, negligible wind, runway slope 0.05%, and airport elevation 16 ft, the required landing distance was calculated as 5,910 ft with a VREF of 111 knots.
The airplane was not equipped with thrust reversers or spoilers. The speed brake was deployed; the emergency braking system was not used. Initial examination of the wheels and braking system revealed no evidence of failures, excessive wear, or malfunctions. Components were removed for later testing.
A preliminary comparison of the accident flight with five prior approaches to the same runway showed similar profiles, except the accident flight had a slightly higher ground speed at touchdown.