For the first time in general aviation history, Garmin’s Autoland system was used to safely land a King Air 200 at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (KBJC) in Colorado.
The emergency landing was made Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025.
According to the local ABC News affiliate, KRDO, the plane had taken off from Aspen with two pilots onboard, but an emergency alert was triggered not long after takeoff after the pilots reported “a rapid, uncommanded loss of pressurization,” the plane’s owner, Buffalo River Aviation, said in a statement.
The company said the pilots lost communication with air traffic control, but the Autoland system automatically engaged “exactly as designed” when the cabin altitude exceeded safe levels.
Garmin’s Autoland was introduced in October 2019, debuting in the Cirrus Vision Jet and Piper M600/SLS. It was approved for King Airs in 2023. In an emergency, Autoland determines the most optimal airport and runway, considering factors such as weather, fuel on board, runway surface and length, terrain, obstacles and more. It can be activated by a button, but also will activate automatically if the system determines it’s necessary, according to Garmin officials.
After the successful landing, officials at The Blackhawk Group reached out, noting the Garmin avionics in the King Air 200 were installed at Blackhawk’s Performance Center at Columbia Regional Airport (KCOU) in Missouri in February 2025.
According to Blackhawk’s Lindsay Allmon, the installation of the Garmin Autoland/Autothrottle system in this particular King Air 200 was the very first aftermarket delivery of the system on this aircraft type.
“The safe landing at KBJC confirms that this level of autonomy for the King Air 200 is no longer theoretical, it is operational and proven,” she noted. “Blackhawk’s Performance Centers are proud to partner with Garmin to install and support their life-saving technology.”
For more information: Garmin.com, BlackhawkGroup.aero
So the King Air has a nice new autoland system that was able to transmit an automated warning to the Tower but, it didn’t have a working comm for the pilots? Sounds like a stunt to me.This according to the article from AOPA about the incident.
The avionics can and did transmit and controlled the aircraft safely to landing. The crew had no working comm radio or microphone? The crew stated that they elected to let the system land the plane, they admit to not being incapacitated. So, what’s not being reported?