Regional jet overshoots landing at Virginia airport

No injuries were reported after a commercial regional jet overshot the designated touchdown zone at a Roanoke airport amid heavy rain Wednesday night, but was stopped in a safety area at the end of the runway, officials said. Delays continued at the airport Thursday morning.

CommuteAir ERJ145 flight 4339, operating as United Express, “landed long” as it arrived at Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport around 10 p.m., according to a Federal Aviation Administration statement. It was safely stopped by an engineered materials arresting system bed at the end of the runway.

The safety area made of cellular cement blocks meant to slow and stop an aircraft that overruns the runway was upgraded last year and performed as intended, airport spokesperson Alexa Briehl said in an email. There was heavy rain in the area at the time of the incident, Briehl said.

There were 50 passengers and three crew members on board the flight operating as United Express from Washington Dulles International Airport when it overran the runway while landing at Roanoke, CommuteAir executive vice president and chief financial officer Sean Frick said in an email. The captain reported no injuries, Frick said.

Based in Ohio, CommuteAir is a regional airline that operates flights on behalf of United Airlines.

Passengers aboard the Embraer 145 were bused to the terminal and law enforcement released them to go home a little before midnight, officials said.

All runways at the airport were closed for a time. One runway reopened after midnight to arriving and departing traffic, but the runway where the overrun occurred remained closed, the airport said.

The FAA said it will investigate.

Airport officials urged travelers to check with their airlines on Thursday morning since multiple flights were delayed.