# Accident 20221115017389A: Honda Aircraft Co LLC HA-420, Salt Lake City, UT, November 15, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 15, 2022, 22:12 local time
- Place: Salt Lake City, UT
- Airport: Salt Lake City International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.7978° N, 111.9621° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7978&lon=-111.9621&mi=10
- Aircraft: N789RJ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N789RJ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Honda HA-420 (registry code 4400000, https://openairdocs.org/model/honda-ha-420) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: GE Honda HF-120 (registry code 30200, https://openairdocs.org/engine/ge-honda-hf-120) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HONDA AIRCRAFT CO LLC HA-420
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,600 total, 350 in this make and model, 23 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR23LA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA032) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221115017389A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE PILOT STATED THE FLIGHT WAS TO RETURN HOME ABOUT 2200 LOCAL. THE PILOT TAXIED ON K17 AND WAS CLEARED TO LINE UP AND WAIT AT RUNWAY 17. ABOUT A THIRD OF THE WAY DOWN THE TAXIWAY THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF AT A HEADING OF 280. THE AIRPLANE WAS ROLLED ONTO THE RUNWAY BUT THE PILOT UNKNOWINGLY POSITIONED THE AIRPLANE LEFT OF RUNWAY CENTERLINE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HIS POINT OF FOCUS WAS THE LINE PAINTED ON THE RUN-WAY (NOT THE LIGHTS), ONLY HE CHOSE THE WRONG LINE TO FOLLOW. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE LEFT WING STRUCK 16 RUNWAY EDGE LIGHTS. THE PILOT BELIEVED THE TIRE BLEW SO HE TAXIED OFF K7 AND STOPPED AT ATLANTIC TARMAC. HE THEN OPENED DOOR AND SAW FUEL SPILLING FROM THE LEFT WING, SO HE SHUT DOWN THE AIRPLANE AND DISCONNECTED BATTERY. THE PILOT CALLED THE TOWER AND REPORTED THE FUEL SPILL.

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES THAT WOULD HAVE PRECLUDED NORMAL OPERATION.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR23LA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA032), Nov 15, 2022: Honda HA-420 (N789RJ), Salt Lake City, UT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadvertent attempt to takeoff on a left side of runway, rather than the centerline of runway, which resulted in a collision with runway edge lights during the night time takeoff.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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