FAA investigating floatplane that flew under Portland’s Hawthorne Bridge
Oct 14, 2026, 8:16 AM
The Hawthorne Bridge in Portland. (Photo courtesy of the City of Portland)
(Photo courtesy of the City of Portland)
An investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is underway after a pilot flew a plane under one of Portland’s bridges.
The plane, a Kodiak 100 turboprop, took off from the Willamette River before flying under the Hawthorne Bridge. According to The Seattle Times, at least one person emailed the FAA a complaint, while several others captured the moment on video and uploaded it to social media.
i have lived here my whole life, and i have never once seen a plane take off from the Willamette…
…let alone do THIS. wtf.
— Cabel Sasser (@cabel.panic.com) October 9, 2026 at 6:07 PM
The bridge has just 49 feet of clearance when lowered.
“FAA regulations require that pilots fly so they don’t endanger people or property on the ground,” FAA spokesperson Crystal Essiaw told The Seattle Times in an email.
Federal rules require pilots to avoid endangering people or property on the ground.
The plane is registered to an LLC with an address in downtown Seattle.
This is a developing story, check back for updates
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