Elon Musk lands in Hawthorne after Seattle stop as OpenAI jury prepares to deliberate

Elon Musk flew from Seattle Paine Field to Hawthorne Municipal Airport on May 16, landing just before 4:17 a.m. aboard Gulfstream G550 N272BG. The two-hour hop from Washington follows a trans-Pacific return from Beijing, where Musk accompanied President Donald Trump on a state visit earlier in the week.

The trip coincides with the final days of Musk v. Altman, the blockbuster trial over OpenAI’s shift from nonprofit to capped-profit structure. Musk was notably absent for closing arguments on May 14; his attorney apologized to the jury, explaining Musk was in China with Trump, per NBC News. Jury deliberations begin May 18, with Musk seeking up to $134 billion in disgorgement.

The flight to Hawthorne — home to SpaceX’s headquarters — suggests Musk is back to business after a week of globe-trotting that included stops in New York and Seattle. The Seattle leg may have involved Boeing or other Pacific Northwest interests, though no official reason has been disclosed.