A small private jet crashed through an airport fence and struck a car while attempting to abort takeoff at Arizona’s Falcon Field Airport Tuesday afternoon, killing five people including a child, officials confirmed.
The Honda HA-420 jet crashed around 4:40 p.m. at the Mesa facility, located about 25 miles east of Phoenix. “Preliminary information indicates that the plane impacted the airport perimeter fence and a passenger vehicle during an aborted takeoff,” the National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday morning.
Mesa Police identified four victims from the aircraft as Spencer Lindahl, 43, Rustin Randall, 48, Drew Kimball, 44, and Graham Kimball, 12, all Arizona residents. A fifth passenger survived with burn injuries and remains hospitalized. The driver of the vehicle struck outside airport property also died; authorities are withholding the name pending formal identification.
Joshua Golabi, a pilot who witnessed the aftermath, told CNN affiliate KPNX that the aircraft crashed through “a metal fence and a few concrete walls.” Though he didn’t see the impact, he heard it while preparing for his own flight. “We were just about to get into our aircraft and go when we heard a pop and saw a plume of smoke,” Golabi said.
The aircraft was engulfed in flames following the crash, according to local media reports. “It’s just very jarring and it’s a reminder to all pilots to always fly and maneuver as safe as you can,” Golabi added.
The NTSB has taken lead in investigating the crash’s cause, with particular focus on what prompted the aborted takeoff attempt. Mesa Fire and Medical Department spokesperson Marrisa Ramirez-Ramos confirmed the five fatalities, while the Federal Aviation Administration provided initial details about the aircraft’s occupants and trajectory.
