United ERJ-145 Runway Incident at Virginia Stopped Safely by EMAS
A United Express Embraer ERJ-145 went off the runway on Wednesday evening during landing at Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport in Virginia. This regional flight was operated by CommuteAir under United Airlines, having departed from Washington Dulles with 50 passengers and three crew members aboard. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident.
Incident Overview of the United Express Flight UA4339
The aircraft in question, an Embraer ERJ-145 with registration number N21129, was performing United Express flight UA4339 from Washington Dulles International Airport to Roanoke. According to Flightradar24, the usual departure time is 17:30 local time, with landing expected at 18:44. However, on this occasion, the flight departed later at 20:35, touching down at Roanoke shortly after 21:15.
Upon landing on runway 34, the aircraft overran the runway due to wet conditions. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) indicated that the jet halted safely in the engineered materials arrestor system (EMAS), a safety system intended to prevent runway overrun accidents.
Response and Impact at the Airport
Passengers were deplaned using portable stairs and transported by bus to the terminal. Operations at Roanoke airport faced temporary suspension, leading to several flight delays and diversions. For instance, United Express flight UA4792 from Chicago, scheduled to arrive at 21:19, was redirected to Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The aircraft’s damage is currently under evaluation, and the FAA has launched an investigation into the incident.
Understanding the Engineered Materials Arrestor System (EMAS)
The EMAS is constructed from crushable concrete blocks positioned at runway ends to stop aircraft in overrun situations. The material degrades under the aircraft’s weight, creating drag that safely halts the plane. It is a critical safety feature used at numerous US airports to prevent overrun incidents from developing into severe accidents. As of March 2025, 122 EMAS systems protect 70 airports across the nation. FAA statistics display that EMAS has successfully intercepted 24 aircraft, safeguarding 438 passengers and crew.
The advanced EMASMAX system, installed at 118 runway ends, and the greenEMAS variant, used at four ends, represent the latest in this technology. Runway Safe is the sole manufacturer of FAA-approved EMAS products, producing both EMASMAX and greenEMAS systems, with the latter incorporating recycled materials.
Table: Airports With EMAS Incident Records
| Airport | Aircraft Saved | Lives Saved |
|---|---|---|
| New York JFK | 3 | 36 |
| Bob Hope | 2 | 119 |
| West Virginia | 1 | 34 |
| Teterboro | 1 | 10 |
| Palm Beach | 1 | 8 |
| Fort Lauderdale | 1 | 7 |
| Telluride RGNL | 1 | 2 |
| Chicago O’Hare | 1 | 145 |
| LaGuardia | 1 | 37 |
Recent Incidents Involving EMAS
Recently, EMAS successfully stopped two separate business jets in unrelated events on September 3. One was a Bombardier Challenger 300, registration N776CJ, operated by Jet Linx Aviation, that overran runway 05 at Boca Raton after departing from Las Vegas. The other case involved a Gulfstream G150, registration N1927G, operated by Priester Aviation, at Chicago Executive Airport. Each situation concluded without injuries, though temporary airport closures occurred for aircraft removal.
