A private jet skidded off the tarmac, eventually crashing and settling in five feet of water at the end of a runway.
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According to a
statement by the Southwest Oregon Regional Airport, a 2019 Honda HA-420 corporate jet crashed into the Coos Bay on Monday morning at around 6 AM. It was an inbound flight from St. George Regional Airport, Utah. The plane reportedly 'skidded off the east end of Runway 05/23.'Once the aircraft came off the runway, it traveled roughly 100 feet and stopped in the water. The runway itself is surrounded by water on three sides. Emergency services transported all four passengers and the pilot to Bay Area Hospital. The statement explains that everyone on board sustained minor injuries but is stable. Three no longer require medical treatment, although one remains hospitalized, and doctors transferred another to a different facility. A spokesperson for the hospital said 'upon their arrival, all were alert and oriented.'
A crane removed the aircraft from the water at around 10 AM, and it's reportedly being stored at the airport pending an evaluation.
The Jet Pilot Took Evasive Action Before Hitting The Water
It's unclear what caused the aircraft to end up in the water. However, a report by KGW News suggests the pilot reported a problem with his brakes shortly before landing. In an interview with the outlet, Stephanie Kilner, a spokesperson for the airport, said, "The pilot was able to take evasive action to avoid a critically important air navigation tool at the end of the runway."
Kilner told ABC9 that an eyewitness saw the plane go off the end of the runway. They notified Emergency Services. "This is where training and our constant requirements, which afford us to have mass casualty training, come into play," she said. "Everything worked smoothly like clockwork, and those people were taken off the plane." She also stressed the safety of air travel, "It's still the safest way to travel. You have more incidents that occur in vehicles getting to and from roads, work and play on the roadways," she explained.
Public safety crews are reportedly working in the bay to contain a hazardous materials incident related to the crash.
