News Summary
Virginia authorities are investigating an incident involving CommuteAir Flight 4339, which overshot the runway at Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport on September 24, 2025. The flight had 53 people on board and landed long on the short runway, which caused it to reach the Engineered Materials Arrestor System (EMAS). Fortunately, there were no injuries, but the airport operations were temporarily halted. The FAA and NTSB are conducting investigations into the circumstances of the landing and the impact of weather conditions.
Virginia is currently investigating an incident involving CommuteAir Flight 4339, operating as United Express flight UA4339, which overshot the runway at the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport on September 24, 2025. The flight was arriving from Washington Dulles International Airport and had 53 individuals aboard, including 50 passengers and 3 crew members. This significant incident occurred around 9:18 p.m. local time, as confirmed by Virginia State Police.
The aircraft, an Embraer ERJ-145 with the tail number N21129, landed long on the relatively short runway, which contributed to the lack of sufficient braking distance for the plane. Upon landing, the plane did not stop before reaching the Engineered Materials Arrestor System (EMAS), a safety feature designed with crushable concrete blocks to safely halt overrunning aircraft. Photos from the scene show the aircraft’s tires embedded in this system.
Fortunately, this incident did not result in any injuries to passengers or crew members. However, it did lead to a temporary shutdown of airport operations, causing delays for several flights. Regular flight operations resumed by 7 a.m. on September 25, 2025.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are currently conducting thorough investigations into the incident. The FAA’s inquiry will assess the weather conditions at the time, particularly the effect of the wet runway, and examine the extent of the aircraft’s damage. Prior to the incident, the flight experienced considerable delays, originally scheduled to depart Dulles at 5:30 p.m. but eventually took off at 8:35 p.m.
Passengers aboard the flight described the landing as jarring, with some noting that it felt like the plane went down hard and acknowledging the strong brakes that were employed during landing.
The EMAS system, which played a crucial role in safely stopping the aircraft, has previously been instrumental in preventing accidents by successfully halting 24 aircraft and protecting a total of 438 passengers and crew members in prior incidents. As of 2025, there are more than 122 EMAS installations across 70 airports in the United States, reflecting a growing reliance on advanced safety technologies in the aviation industry.
In light of this incident, discussions are expected to emerge regarding the enhancement of safety measures at regional airports like Roanoke-Blacksburg. Authorities and industry experts continue to emphasize the importance of airport safety and management practices to prevent future incidents.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
- Travel Noire
- Wikipedia: Embraer ERJ145
- The New York Times
- Google Search: Roanoke Blacksburg Regional Airport
- Travel and Tour World
- Google Scholar: Airport Safety Measures
- USA Today
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Air Transportation
- WDBJ7
- Google News: CommuteAir Flight 4339
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