What happened
On September 24, 2025, at 21:17 EDT, a CommuteAir Embraer 145XR, registration N21129, experienced a runway excursion while landing at Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA) in Roanoke, Virginia. The flight was a scheduled domestic passenger service operating under Part 121 from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to ROA.
Prior to departure, the aircraft underwent two deplaning events due to maintenance-related anomalies. The flight departed approximately two and a half hours behind schedule. While the initial ATIS for ROA indicated runway 6 was in use with no precipitation, the flight crew later received updates from approach control regarding precipitation along the approach path for runway 6 and noted that other aircraft were utilizing runway 34.
During the ILS approach to runway 34, the crew observed increasing rain intensity. The first officer performed landing performance calculations for a wet runway with a runway condition code (RCC) of 5, determining a margin of approximately 200 feet beyond the required distance without using thrust reversers. The captain briefed go-around procedures and a diversion to Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) in the event of a missed approach.
On short final, as rain intensity increased, the first officer noted the aircraft was high on the precision approach path indicator (PAPI). Although the captain attempted to correct the flight path, the aircraft remained high as it crossed the runway threshold. The first officer called for a go-around twice, but the captain continued the landing. After touchdown, the crew applied maximum braking and deployed thrust reversers, but the aircraft overran the end of runway 34 and came to rest in the engineered materials arresting system (EMAS). There were no injuries to the 3 crew members or 5 passengers onboard, and the aircraft sustained no damage.
The investigation
The NTSB investigation is ongoing. The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were analyzed at the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory in Washington, DC. Participating parties include the Federal Aviation Administration, CommuteAir, the Air Line Pilots Association, and an Accredited Representative from the Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center of Brazil.