A United Express flight overran the runway in Roanoke, Virginia, after the first officer twice called to abort the landing, but the captain continued, according to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board. The aircraft was safely stopped by an emergency arresting system, with all 53 people on board escaping injury.
On September 24, 2025, United Express Flight 4339, operated by regional carrier CommuteAir, was approaching Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport in heavy rain and low visibility. The Embraer ERJ-145XR jet, carrying 50 passengers and three crew members, had been delayed earlier in the day due to maintenance issues, departing more than two hours late from its origin. As the aircraft descended, weather conditions worsened, with rain intensifying below 500 feet, complicating the landing approach.
The first officer, monitoring the flight, recognized the risks and called for a go-around—a standard procedure to abort the landing—twice as the plane crossed the runway threshold. Despite these urgent calls, the captain, who was piloting the aircraft, chose to continue the approach. Investigators noted that the jet was too high upon arrival, and the first officer’s second go-around request came when the aircraft was halfway down the runway, but the captain pressed on with the landing.
The plane touched down long on the wet runway, and despite the crew deploying maximum braking and thrust reversers, it could not stop in time. It slid off the end of the pavement and into an Engineered Materials Arresting System (EMAS), a bed of compressible materials designed to safely decelerate overrunning aircraft. The EMAS effectively brought the jet to a halt, preventing a more severe incident, with the landing gear embedding in the material but causing only minor damage to the aircraft.
This incident highlights ongoing concerns about cockpit communication and adherence to safety protocols. Federal Aviation Administration guidelines emphasize that either pilot can initiate a go-around, and the response should be immediate, yet it remains unclear why the captain disregarded the first officer’s calls. The NTSB is reviewing flight data and voice recorders to determine the factors behind this decision, including potential fatigue, training issues, or environmental pressures.
Background details reveal that the flight was part of a four-day crew rotation and had initially planned to land on a different runway before switching due to weather advisories. Other aircraft had reported marginal visibility and turbulent conditions, adding to the challenges. The safe outcome underscores the value of EMAS, which has been installed at many U.S. airports to mitigate runway overruns, though questions linger about why established procedures were not followed in this case.
The NTSB’s preliminary report, released on October 22, 2025, marks an early step in the investigation, with further analysis expected to inform aviation safety recommendations. This event may prompt reviews of airline policies on go-around protocols and crew resource management, aiming to prevent similar occurrences in the future. As the probe continues, the aviation community will watch for insights that could enhance pilot training and operational safety in adverse conditions.