A twin-engine jet overran the runway at Auburn Municipal Airport just before 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, sliding roughly 150 feet past the south end of the airstrip and coming to rest partially down an embankment. Everyone aboard walked away without injury.
The passengers exited the aircraft on their own, according to airport manager Tyghe Richardson, and both Auburn Fire Department crews and airport officials confirmed no injuries resulted from the incident, as reported by The Sacramento Bee. Photos from the scene showed the jet resting down the embankment after veering off the runway, according to CBS News. The airport, located at 13666 New Airport Road in Auburn, closed its runway while authorities evaluated the aircraft and worked out how to recover and remove it from the airfield, per Auburn Economic Development Director Jonathan Wright.
Cause Still Unclear as Investigation Continues
The cause of the overrun remained unknown late Tuesday, per the Bee's report. Richardson said he was coordinating next steps with the Auburn Police Department, the Auburn Fire Department, the National Transportation Safety Board and the aircraft's owner as officials worked to determine what went wrong.
The mishap marks the second landing incident at Auburn Municipal Airport in less than three months. On July 14, a small Bellanca Decathlon veered off the runway and flipped upside down onto its roof during landing, an incident that also produced no injuries but temporarily shut the runway while crews cleared the inverted plane, according to KCRA 3. The airport also has a history of landing accidents dating back further: on May 6, 2019, a Cessna 172N Skyhawk II suffered substantial damage after losing control during landing, though the pilot escaped injury, according to Kathryn's Report.
A Short Runway Built for Light Aircraft, Not Jets
Auburn Municipal Airport's single runway, designated 7/25, stretches 3,700 feet long and 75 feet wide, sitting at an elevation of 1,538 feet, according to AirNav. The airport does provide 240-foot paved overrun areas beyond each end of the runway for emergency stopping space, per the City of Auburn's airport operational guidelines.
That runway was built to FAA Category B-I standards, a classification meant for light aircraft with approach speeds under 121 knots and takeoff weights below 12,500 pounds, according to Placer County airport compatibility documents.
What Typically Causes Runway Overruns
Runway overruns involve aircraft continuing beyond the end of a runway.
Auburn Municipal Airport is a general aviation facility.
