Alligator Strike on Departure Diverts Wheels Up Phenom 300

A Wheels Up Embraer Phenom 300 struck an alligator on departure and diverted to Charleston International Airport, landing safely at approximately 8:50 p.m. local time on Friday, or 01:50 GMT on Saturday.

The aircraft, operating as Wheels Up Flight 665, had departed Charleston Executive Airport in South Carolina bound for Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. The crew reported the strike during the takeoff roll and turned for the nearby international field rather than continuing the sector.

What has the regulator confirmed?

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the event in a preliminary statement dated Sunday, 8 November. The regulator said the crew reported the strike during departure and that it will investigate.

The statement gave no figure for the number of people on board and did not describe any damage to the aircraft. The FAA directed further questions to the operator. Wheels Up had issued no public statement on the incident at the time of writing.

Such FAA notices typically appear within a few days of an event and cover only basic facts. Fuller detail on damage and the exact point of impact usually comes from the operator or a later investigation report.

Which aircraft is involved?

The FAA Aircraft Registry identifies the jet as N665UP, an Embraer EMB-505 Phenom 300 with serial number 50500185. Embraer built the aircraft in 2014, and two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW535E turbofans power it.

Infinity & Beyond LLC of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, holds the registration. The FAA issued the current certificate in December 2025, valid until the end of 2032.

Flightradar24 tracking data shows N665UP routinely flying under the WUP665 call sign. The jet often completes several sectors in a single day for the operator, indicating high utilization within the Wheels Up program.

The Phenom 300 sits at the heart of the Wheels Up fleet. The operator has committed to six new Phenom 300E jets in its first direct purchase of new aircraft from Embraer, underscoring the type's central role in its capacity planning.

Why divert to Charleston International?

Charleston International lies only a short hop from the departure airport, but it offers far longer runways and dedicated airport rescue and firefighting crews. The airfield also shares its runways with Joint Base Charleston, a military installation.

Because of those resources, diverting to a larger airport is a common precaution after a suspected strike. Crews can land with emergency teams on standby while engineers prepare to inspect the airframe.

How common are alligator strikes?

Birds cause the vast majority of wildlife strikes in the United States. The FAA's wildlife strike records, however, also include mammals and reptiles, as this Charleston event demonstrates.

The marshes and tidal creeks of the Lowcountry make alligators a familiar sight around Charleston. Wildlife control remains a constant task for airports in the region, especially those near open water.

What does this change for the operator?

What does this change for Wheels Up in practical terms? In the near term, N665UP faces inspection for possible strike damage, and the FAA investigation will examine both the strike and its effect on the airframe. Any findings on damage and the exact point of impact should emerge as the work progresses.

The investigation's conclusions will determine whether the aircraft returns to service quickly or requires extended maintenance, with knock-on effects for a fleet type that Wheels Up relies on heavily across its network.