IBC plane skids off flooded runway in Les Cayes, Haiti, narrowly averting marketplace

LES CAYES, Haiti — An airplane operated by Florida-based carrier IBC Airways skidded off the runway Friday afternoon while landing, missing a well-traveled roadway by inches. The pilots had trouble braking because the runway was flooded from heavy rains, airport and company officials told The Haitian Times.

The aircraft was carrying 10 passengers from Miami to newly-opened Antoine Simon International Airport in the southern Haitian city, they said. The plane came to a stop in the airport’s safety zone, with its nose extending toward National Road 7, just outside the perimeter fence. 

No injuries or fatalities were reported. However, passengers, passersby and nearby vendors were shaken by the incident, which occurred as Haiti’s southern region remains under a yellow weather alert due to heavy rainfall forecasts.

A crew member who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid repercussions said that as the aircraft approached Les Cayes, the capital city of the South Department, with about 200,000 residents, it faced heavy rain and low visibility. Given the conditions, the plane — an Embraer ERJ-145 jet with the capacity of carrying 50 passengers — circled the airspace multiple times. 

After about 30 minutes, it was cleared to land on the airport’s sole runway of about 6,070 feet, or 1.2 miles.

At touchdown, the landing gear was midway along the airstrip, reducing the available braking distance. The pilot, facing limited visibility, struggled to stabilize the approach, but the aircraft veered off course, struck part of the airport fence and exited toward the roadside.

Disaster on the ground was only narrowly averted. The roadside is less than two feet from the airport fence and leads to nearby Station Quatre-Chemins, where a large street market is located. Many small shops and residential homes also populate the cross street.

Four other aircraft on the ramp at the time were not affected.

Limited air travel options heighten risks

The runway incident underscores broader concerns about air travel safety in Haiti, where infrastructure limitations and weather-related vulnerabilities continue to pose risks, the IBC staffer said. With Port-au-Prince largely inaccessible for commercial flights, regional airports like Les Cayes have taken on increased traffic, but without corresponding upgrades to infrastructure, drainage systems or runway safety.

IBC Airways is currently the only U.S.-based commercial carrier operating flights to Haiti, following a 2024 Federal Aviation Administration ban on U.S. airlines flying below 10,000 feet over parts of the country near the capital due to security risks. The restrictions have been repeatedly extended, most recently through September 2026.

IBC launched its Miami–Les Cayes route in November 2025, offering one of the few direct international connections to southern Haiti. Travelers otherwise rely on limited alternatives, including connections through Cap-Haïtien with Sunrise Airways.

An IBC staff member, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, said the airline is conducting internal assessments before issuing an official statement.

Airport authorities secured the area following the incident and began evaluating the damage. An investigation is underway to determine the exact causes of the runway incident.

Friday’s incident also renews concerns about the resilience of Haiti’s airport infrastructure, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall, when flooding and limited visibility can significantly increase operational risks.

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