Private jet safely lands after striking alligator on Johns Island Airport runway: report

A private jet carrying three passengers and two pilots safely landed at Charleston International Airport after striking an alligator on the Johns Island Airport runway during its takeoff rollout. The Embraer Phenom 300 involved was registered out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and the incident occurred on Johns Island runway 27. Officials indicated the collision happened just as the aircraft was attempting to depart Johns Island, prompting an immediate diversion to Charleston International for precautionary purposes regarding potential damage to the landing gear.

The flight’s crew diverted to Charleston International after the encounter, and the jet touched down without incident. Upon landing, the aircraft was met by the Air Force Base Fire Department for mutual-aid response and assessment. Wildlife control personnel and Johns Island Airport operations staff subsequently worked to remove the alligator carcass from the runway so that normal operations could resume.

There were no injuries reported aboard the Embraer Phenom 300, and officials indicated the aircraft appeared to have no visible damage at the time of the on-scene assessment. The plane then taxied to Atlantic Aviation for deplaning, with passengers and crew disembarking as part of the standard after-landing process following an unexpected wildlife encounter on a runway.

According to WCIV’s report, the collision occurred on Johns Island runway 27 and involved a private jet with five people on board—including three passengers and two pilots—who were able to land safely at Charleston International. The same source notes that the flight originated from Johns Island Airport and that the incident triggered an on-scene response from wildlife control and airport staff to clear the runway of the animal remains.

Dealroom’s coverage added context regarding the broader aviation-news environment but did not provide additional technical details about the Johns Island incident itself. The Dealroom material confirms the Embraer Phenom 300 registration and the Charleston diversion, and reiterates that there were no reported injuries on board and that the aircraft appeared undamaged, subsequently transferring operations to Atlantic Aviation for passenger deplaning.

As reported by WSVN, Fox News, and CBS affiliates within their respective event clusters, the Johns Island incident stands as a standalone wildlife-involved takeoff event with a known aircraft type and a clear sequence: takeoff attempt from Johns Island, collision with an alligator, diversion to Charleston International, and a safe landing with a routine post-landing handling by emergency services and airport staff. The consolidated material from these outlets consistently identifies the same core facts: aircraft type, origin, runway involved, location of the incident, the safe landing at Charleston, and the absence of injuries to occupants.

In summary, the Johns Island alligator incident involved a privately operated Embraer Phenom 300 on a Johns Island Airport takeoff that struck an alligator on runway 27, leading to a precautionary diversion to Charleston International. A Fire Department response was reported on the scene, wildlife-control removal of the carcass occurred, and the jet subsequently taxied to Atlantic Aviation for deplaning, with no injuries reported and no visible damage to the aircraft according to the reporting outlets.