April 18, 2024
Fractional operator Jet It is grounding its HondaJet fleet after an accident by a private operator earlier this week.
Fractional operator Jet It grounded its Honda Jet fleet earlier today in a Safety Stand Down after a May 18 accident by a privately owned Honda HA-420 in Summerville, South Carolina.
After landing on the 5,000-foot runway, which was apparently wet, the aircraft departed the runway and ended up on the grass.
The five occupants were not hurt, but the aircraft was a total loss.
Jet It, which operates a fleet of the very light jets, told some employees in an internal message, “We are instituting a safety stand down while we request further information from Honda. This means we will not be operating the Honda Aircraft until further notice.”
It went on to say, “During this standdown, we will be reviewing all information, procedures, and specific data as it becomes available. We will update you with more information as it becomes available.”
According to correspondence reviewed by Private Jet Card Comparisons, the initial standdown is set for the weekend. However, a restart date for operations had not been determined.
Customers are also being told they would have to cover the cost of their replacement charter flights.
Asked about the standdown, Jet It CEO Glenn Gonzalez declined to comment.
Three Jet It HondaJets suffered runway excursions last year.
N903JT was “substantially damaged” after “the airplane skidded sideways, departed the end of the runway, and traveled tail-first over the edge of a steep incline, coming to rest in trees” on March 13, 2022.
N704JT was “pushed off the runway due to a wind gust during landing” while landing on October 12, 2022.
C-FJJT, which was being operated in Canada for Jet It by Sky Service Business Aviation Inc., suffered a runway overrun on March 7, 2022.
There were no injuries in any of the incidents.
Last year, Jet It moved from 21st place to the 11th largest private jet operator in the U.S., based on charter and fractional flight hours, based on Argus TraqPak data.
Honda Aircraft Company did not respond to a request for comment.
