Donnie Wahlberg Safe After Private Jet Skids Off Las Vegas Airport Runway

A terrifying runway incident at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas became national entertainment news Sunday after New Kids on the Block singer Donnie Wahlberg revealed he was aboard the private jet when it crashed into a perimeter fence.

The incident occurred between 10:50 a.m. and 11 a.m. local time on Runway 1L after the pilot aborted the takeoff of a Dassault Falcon 50 bound for Toronto Pearson International Airport. Eight people were on board the jet when it skidded past the asphalt and struck a perimeter fence. No injuries were reported.

Wahlberg—who starred in the 1999 blockbuster The Sixth Sense and is a member of New Kids on the Block—posted an Instagram video informing fans that the plane failed to get airborne during takeoff.

“These pilots saved our lives,” Wahlberg said, adding that “God covered us” as the aircraft managed to clear several obstacles—including trucks, heavy equipment, and dumpsters—before striking the final barrier. “We’re safe and thankful, and all is well. The airplane did take some lumps—but we did not.”

Wahlberg was in Las Vegas wrapping up his “New Kids on the Block: The Right Stuff” residency, which played its 40th and final show at Dolby Live at Park MGM on Saturday night.

The incident led to the closure of runways 1L and 1R for inspection and a full ground stop—beginning later, around 12:50 p.m. and lasting until about 2:30 p.m.—as the FAA investigated the mishap, causing delays.

Common Private-Jet Mishap

Runway overruns—which occur when an aircraft cannot lift off or stop within the available runway—are among the most common types of business-jet accidents. According to the National Business Aviation Association, overruns accounted for nearly 41% of business-jet incidents between 2017 and 2022.

These incidents typically occur during takeoff or landing and can be triggered by factors such as insufficient acceleration, incorrect flap configurations, high density altitude, or mechanical faults affecting thrust and control surfaces.

Harry Reid International Airport sits at an elevation of roughly 2,181 feet. On warmer days, thinner air can diminish aircraft performance and require significantly longer takeoff runs for midsize jets like the Falcon 50.

The Federal Aviation Administration routinely investigates runway overruns to determine whether mechanical, environmental, or procedural factors played a role. Investigators typically examine flight-data recordings, pilot logs, runway conditions, and maintenance records.

The FAA’s investigation into the incident remains ongoing.