Date:	Friday 17 February 2023
Time:	11:16
Type:	Honda HA-420 HondaJet
Owner/operator:	Haedo Air LLC
Registration:	N14QB
MSN:	42000107
Year of manufacture:	2018
Total airframe hrs:	644 hours
Engine model:	GE Honda HF-120-H1A
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Houston-William P. Hobby Airport, TX (HOU) -   United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Miami Executive Airport, FL (TMB/KTMB)
Destination airport:	Houston-William P. Hobby Airport, TX (HOU/KHOU)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The HondaJet sustained substantial damage in a landing accident at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU/KHOU), Houston, Texas. There were no injuries.

The pilot was landing at the destination airport with a gusting crosswind. Upon touchdown, he established the aileron controls for the crosswind and applied the brakes; however, no braking action was observed. The airplane subsequently drifted left and departed the runway pavement. It came to rest upright in the grass infield area adjacent to the runway. The outboard portion of the right wing separated which resulted in substantial damage.
Data indicated that the airplane was 14 knots or more above the published landing reference speed when it crossed the runway threshold, and it touched down about 2,000 ft from the threshold. The left and right weight-on-wheels (WOW) parameters transitioned from air to ground consistent with initial touchdown; however, the left WOW parameter transitioned back to air about 2 seconds later. The right WOW parameter remained on ground until the airplane departed the runway pavement.

The brake system touchdown protection is designed to prevent brake application until wheel spin-up occurs to avoid the possibility of inadvertently landing with a locked wheel due to brake application. After weight-on-wheels has been true for three seconds, power braking is enabled. It is likely that the lack of positive weight-on-wheel parameters inhibited brake application due to the touchdown protection function and resulted in the pilot not observing any braking action.
The excess airspeed, extended touchdown, and transient weight-on-wheels parameters were consistent with the airplane floating during the landing flare and with the application of aileron controls for the crosswind conditions. The airplane was not equipped with wing-mounted speed brakes which would have assisted in maintaining weight-on-wheels during the initial portion of the landing.
The most recent wind report, transmitted by the tower controller when the airplane was on a 3-mile final, presented a 70° crosswind at 15 knots, gusting to 25 knots. The corresponding crosswind gust component was about 24 knots. The airplane flight manual specified a crosswind limitation of 20 kts for takeoff and landing; therefore, the crosswind at the time of the accident exceeded the airframe crosswind limitation and would have made control during touchdown difficult.
The pilot reported that he had made two requests with the approach controller to land on a different runway, but those requests were denied. The investigation was unable to make any determination regarding a pilot request for an alternate runway. Federal Aviation Regulations stated that the pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft. The regulations also stated that no person may operate a civil aircraft without complying with the operating limitations. The pilot's ultimate acceptance of the runway assignment which likely exceeded the crosswind limitation of the airplane was contrary to the regulations and to the safe operation of the airplane.

Probable Cause: The pilot's loss of directional control during landing which resulted in a runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to land with a crosswind that exceeded the limitation for the airplane.

16:53 UTC / 10:53 local time:
KHOU 171653Z 35017G26KT 10SM BKN250 07/M04 A3047 RMK AO2 PK WND 36026/1652 SLP324 T00671044

17:53 UTC / 11:53 local time:
KHOU 171753Z 34017G25KT 10SM BKN250 09/M04 A3045 RMK AO2 PK WND 31026/1737 SLP315 T00891044 10089 20033 58003

khou.com
flightaware.com

Photo: FAA

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
04-Apr-2024 08:25	ASN	Updated [Narrative, Accident report]
04-Apr-2024 08:26	ASN	Updated [Photo]