New Kids on the Block singer Donnie Wahlberg is counting his blessings after a private jet carrying him, friends and members of his team skidded off a runway in Las Vegas and crashed into a perimeter fence during a frightening failed takeoff.
The 57-year-old singer and actor revealed that everyone aboard escaped injury, crediting the pilots with preventing what he feared could have been a much more serious disaster.
The incident happened around 11 a.m. Sunday, October 18, at Harry Reid International Airport, where Wahlberg and seven others were preparing to fly to Toronto aboard a Dassault Falcon 50 business jet.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the pilots aborted takeoff, but the aircraft continued beyond the end of the runway and struck a fence surrounding the airport.
Wahlberg later shared an emotional video on Instagram, filmed near the damaged aircraft as emergency vehicles and airport personnel responded.
“We’re all OK. I’m OK,” he reassured fans.
The singer explained that the jet never became airborne and that the passengers experienced several frightening moments as the aircraft continued moving beyond the runway.
“These pilots saved our lives,” Wahlberg said, adding that he believed their actions helped the plane avoid an even more dangerous collision.
According to the singer, the jet narrowly missed trucks, heavy equipment and dumpsters before finally striking the fence.
The aircraft sustained damage, but Wahlberg confirmed that he and everyone traveling with him were unharmed.
He also expressed gratitude for the emergency responders who arrived at the scene and helped ensure the passengers were safe.
In the caption accompanying his video, Wahlberg explained that he had originally recorded the message for concerned friends and family before deciding to share it publicly.
He described the experience as several intense moments that felt considerably longer while they were happening.
“The airplane did take some lumps — but we did not,” he wrote.
Wahlberg also credited his faith for helping him through the frightening experience.
“God covered us,” the singer said, thanking the flight crew and expressing relief that everyone had survived.
The incident came just hours after Wahlberg completed a major milestone with New Kids on the Block.
The popular boy band had performed the final show of its “The Right Stuff” Las Vegas residency Saturday night, wrapping up a series of performances featuring Wahlberg, Joey McIntyre, Jordan Knight, Jonathan Knight and Danny Wood.
Following the celebration, Wahlberg was scheduled to leave Las Vegas Sunday morning.
Instead, the attempted departure ended with the damaged jet stranded near the airport’s perimeter and emergency crews responding to the scene.
Airport officials confirmed that no injuries were reported.
However, the accident caused significant disruption at one of the nation’s busiest airports.
Two runways were temporarily closed for safety inspections, while the FAA issued a ground stop affecting arriving flights.
The interruption caused delays for travelers before airport operations gradually resumed. The affected runways reopened later Sunday afternoon.
The FAA has launched an investigation into the runway excursion, including what prompted the aborted takeoff and why the jet was unable to stop before reaching the fence.
Officials have not announced whether a mechanical problem, operational issue or other factor contributed to the accident.
An aborted takeoff can occur for several reasons, including aircraft warnings, equipment concerns or unsafe conditions detected by the flight crew.
In such emergencies, pilots must make rapid decisions based on the aircraft’s speed and the remaining runway distance.
Investigators will now work to determine exactly what happened during the Las Vegas departure.
For Wahlberg, the ordeal brought an unexpected and frightening conclusion to what had otherwise been a celebratory weekend.
The singer, who has remained a familiar face in entertainment for decades through New Kids on the Block and his television acting career, was visibly relieved as he spoke to fans following the incident.
Rather than continuing his journey, he confirmed that he and his traveling companions would remain on the ground for the day.
The experience also prompted an outpouring of concern from fans, many of whom responded to his video with messages of support and relief.
Despite the damage to the aircraft and the disruption at the airport, the most important outcome was that all eight people aboard survived without injury.
As federal investigators examine the cause of the incident, Wahlberg is focusing on the quick actions of the pilots and the fact that everyone returned safely.
For the singer and those traveling with him, what began as a routine flight out of Las Vegas became a terrifying experience they will not soon forget.
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