Incident Overview
On January 13, 2026, at approximately 1220 mountain standard time, a Cessna 750, registration N772XJ, was substantially damaged during a runway excursion at Telluride Regional Airport (TEX) near Mountain Village, Colorado. The airplane was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 as an on-demand air taxi flight. Both pilots and the passenger were not injured.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilots, during descent into TEX, they encountered turbulent conditions with a strong northwesterly wind, causing airspeed fluctuations between 5 and 10 knots. They aligned the airplane with runway 9, with the wind shifting between north and northeast. The touchdown was smooth and on the centerline. Spoilers were deployed, and forward pressure was applied on the control column to keep the nosewheel in contact with the runway.
Shortly after touchdown, the airplane encountered a strong gust of wind from the left (north). The airplane veered to the right, and the nose came up momentarily. Both pilots applied firm pressure on the control column, and the nosewheel contacted the runway again. Thrust reversers were deployed along with an input of left rudder. The airplane then veered sharply to the left. Both pilots applied right rudder, maximum braking, and reverse thrust to regain directional control. The airplane continued left and exited the side of the runway.
Damage and Examination
The left main gear sideloaded, and the right main gear collapsed. The fuselage was substantially damaged. The pilots stated that the airplane did not respond normally when they corrected for the right drift. The airplane was retained for further examination.
Weather Conditions
The reported wind at TEX at 1215 was 020° at 4 knots.