# Accident 20230305002549A: Honda Aircraft Co LLC HA-420, Buena Vista, CO, March 5, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 5, 2023, 18:14 local time
- Place: Buena Vista, CO
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: GZXA
- Location: 38.8140° N, 106.1208° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8140&lon=-106.1208&mi=10
- Aircraft: N118CX, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N118CX) (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
- Reported engine: GE HONDA HF-120
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 8,844 total, 181 in this make and model, 111 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN23LA134](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA134) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230305002549A

## Narrative

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

ON MARCH 05, 2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 0109Z (1809 MST) THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON RWY 33 AT AEJ AND THEN DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AFTER ENCOUNTERING STRONG GUSTY WINDS FROM THE WEST.  WHILE A PART 135 OPERATOR MAINTAINS OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, THIS FLIGHT WAS A POSITIONING FLIGHT ORIGINATING FROM MRY AND CONDUCTED UNDER PART 91.  THE LANDING WAS MADE ON A DRY, UNCONTAMINATED RUNWAY UNDER VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITH CLEAR SKIES.  THE AIRCREW STATED THAT IMMEDIATELY AFTER LANDING THEY EXPERIENCED A STRONG LEFT YAW DUE TO A ‘STRONG GUSTY WIND’ FROM THE LEFT SIDE RESULTING IN THE RUNWAY DEPARTURE.  AIRCREW ADDED THAT THE WINDS PER AWAS WERE 290 AT 8 KNOTS GUSTS 12 KNOTS AT 0100Z (1800 MST) AND THAT THE AEJ AIRPORT MANAGER REPORTED WINDS 280 AT 8 KNOTS GUSTS 19. AIRCREW ENTERED THIS INFORMATION INTO THEIR GARMIN G-3000 TO CALCULATE LANDING PERFORMANCE.  REPORTED WINDS BEFORE AND AFTER THE ACCIDENT PER METAR KAEJ RECORDED AT 0055Z (1755 MST) WERE 280 AT 8 KNOTS GUSTS 24 KNOTS AND AT 0115Z (1815 MST) WERE 270 AT 5 KNOTS GUSTS 18 KNOTS.  THE CROSSWIND LIMITATION FOR THIS MAKE/MODEL OF AIRCRAFT IS 20 KNOTS.  IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT PROFILE MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO ‘WIND-VANING’ DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE ENGINE PYLONS.  THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS ONBOARD AND NO INJURIES TO EITHER PILOT.  NO MECHANICAL ISSUES/FAILURES EXISTED OR WERE EXPERIENCED PRIOR TO DEPARTING THE RUNWAY.  THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO BOTH FLAPS, BOTH LANDING GEAR DOORS, LEFT WING, LEFT ENGINE PYLON, FUSELAGE AROUND THE BATTERY BAY ACCESS PANEL AND NICKED ENGINE BLADES WITH AN OVERALL CLASSIFICATION OF SUBSTANTIAL.  ADDITIONALLY, TWO ‘A-2’ TAXIWAY MARKER SIGNS WERE DESTROYED.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE RUNWAY AND IS CURRENTLY AWAITING REPAIRS.

## 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 CEN23LA134](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA134), Mar 6, 2023: Honda HA-420 (N118CX), Buena Vista, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inability to maintain directional control during landing with a gusting left crosswind resulting in the runway excursion.

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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