1 Sep 2008: CESSNA 560 — NetJets Aviation, Inc — Telluride, CO

No fatalitiesTelluride, CO, United States

A NetJets Aviation, Inc. twin-jet aircraft veered off the runway at Telluride after encountering wind shear during final approach.

What happened

On September 1, 2008, a Cessna 560 operating as NetJets Aviation, Inc. was on final approach to land in Telluride, Colorado. While the aircraft was approximately 50 feet above ground level, the crew encountered an increasing headwind and a "Caution Wind shear" audio alert.

Following the encounter, the aircraft landed heavily and bounced multiple times. The aircraft then departed the left side of the runway. The aircraft, registration N839QS, came to rest in an upright position. There were no injuries to the pilot or copilot, both of whom were able to exit the aircraft without assistance.

The investigation

Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed structural damage to the left aileron, the fuselage, and the forward pressure bulkhead. Investigators found that the nose wheel assembly had separated from the fuselage. An analysis of the nose wheel assembly indicated that the fracture was the result of an overload failure. No issues were identified regarding the engines or the flight controls.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by the pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft during the landing phase, with wind shear acting as a contributing factor.

Contributing factors

Causes

Pilot

Other contributing factors

Effect on operation