Cessna 680 accident near Eagle, Colorado, February 13, 2010
On February 13, 2010 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 680, registered N606CS, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Eagle, Colorado. It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane’s encounter with localized severe to extreme mountain wave turbulence which resulted in substantial damage to both wings.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 2010 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Eagle, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 680 · all 680s on the register
- Registration
- N606CS · no longer on the register · serial 680-0061
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane encountered extreme turbulence after leveling from a climb at 18,000 feet. The extreme turbulence encounter caused a brief loss of control that lasted less than a minute. The airplane then made an uneventful descent and landing. A postflight inspection of the airplane revealed overstress damage that caused wrinkling and debonding on both wings. The synoptic surface weather chart for the flight identified an area of high pressure to the west and an area of low pressure to the east. These conditions were conducive to mountain wave turbulence. An inflight weather advisory was in effect for moderate turbulence, icing, and mountain obscuration for the accident location and altitude. Low-level significant weather charts advised of moderate or greater turbulence below 20,000 feet for the accident region. Pilot reports in the area near the time of the turbulence event indicated moderate levels of turbulence above 10,000 feet. The preflight weather information obtained by the flight crew did not include available information about the turbulence forecasts or the pilot reports of turbulence.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Clear air turbulence encounter during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Terrain induced turbulence › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Flight crew
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Terrain induced turbulence › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 26,300 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 15,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 29, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,700 hours in all; 97 in this make and model; 97 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 2,200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 20, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,746 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 4, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 30,000 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P & W PW300 Series (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Citationshares Management LLC
The flight
- Departed from: APA Denver CO at 3:19 pm
- Destination: EGE Eagle CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from EGE, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.