Identities of those killed in Mesa plane crash revealed, as community rallies around the families
Mesa, Arizona: Tragedy struck in Mesa on Tuesday afternoon when a Honda HA-420 jet crashed near the end of the runway, slamming into a nearby road and colliding with a vehicle.
The crash happened around 4.45pm near Greenfield and McKellips roads, just southwest of Falcon Field Airport. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), preliminary information indicates the jet attempted to abort takeoff before crashing through an airport perimeter fence and colliding with a vehicle on Greenfield Road.
The crash claimed the lives of four out of the five passengers on board, as well as the driver of the vehicle the plane struck. The sole survivor from the aircraft, who sustained severe burn injuries, is currently hospitalized and receiving treatment. Witnesses in the area reported hearing a loud impact and seeing smoke and flames billowing from the crash site.
The identities of those killed on the plane are: Spencer Lindahl, 43; Rustin Randall, 48; Drew Kimball, 44; Graham Kimball, 12. The identity of the driver of the vehicle struck by the plane has not been released.
The local community in Mesa has rallied around the families affected by the tragedy. Volunteers have been collecting donations and offering support to help them through this difficult time. “This is a moment to come together and be there for one another,” said one community member assisting with relief efforts.
While the NTSB has started its investigation, officials caution that a preliminary report is not expected for at least 30 days. Authorities are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has relevant information to come forward to aid in the investigation.
The HA-420s troubled past
As of June 2023, the HA-420 had been involved in three hull-loss accidents with no injuries. In May 2023, fractional ownership company Jet It voluntarily grounded its fleet of HA-420s, following a runway excursion on landing on May 17, 2023, which involved a different operator.
Jet It CEO Glenn Gonzales indicated that Honda's customer support was "grossly inadequate" and announced plans in the autumn of 2022 to sell its fleet of HondaJets and buy Embraer Phenom 300s instead. Honda launched a lawsuit against Jet It which was eventually settled out of court.
The HondaJet Owners and Pilots Association also called for a safety stand-down and meeting for its members, as a result of eight HondaJet accidents in the previous 12 months.
Jet It itself has since grounded all its aircraft and has laid off all staff.
A spokesperson for Honda Aircraft said in a statement at the time, “Jet It’s decision to ground their HondaJet fleet was made independently by Jet It. Importantly, neither Honda Aircraft Company nor any aviation authority has recommended this grounding.”