Garmin Autoland: A Historic Milestone with First Real-Life Emergency Landing
In a landmark moment for aviation safety technology, Garmin’s Emergency Autoland system successfully executed its first real-world emergency landing on December 20, 2025. The event took place when a Beechcraft King Air B200 experienced a pressurization failure near Denver, Colorado.
The aircraft, under the operation of Buffalo River Aviation and registered as N479BR, was ascending through 23,000 feet post-departure from Aspen. It was then that it suffered a rapid loss of cabin pressure. The two pilots, quick to react, immediately donned oxygen masks and remained conscious throughout the event. They made the deliberate decision to allow the Autoland system to assume full control of the aircraft.
The autonomous system independently selected Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport as the optimal landing site. It navigated to the field, communicated with air traffic control using automated voice messages, and executed a safe landing on Runway 30R at approximately 2:20 p.m. local time. The aircraft touched down without any incidents, and no one required medical attention. The plane was back in service the following day.
Garmin confirmed that this marked the first use of Autoland from start to finish in an actual emergency since the technology was introduced in 2019. The system is now installed on more than 1,700 aircraft, including the Cirrus Vision Jet, Piper M600, and various King Air models.
Source: Avweb.com