Cessna 560XL incident near Des Moines, Iowa, August 15, 2012
On August 15, 2012 at about 1:35 pm local time, a Cessna 560XL, registered N108EK, suffered minor damage in an incident during enroute (cruise) near Des Moines, Iowa (Des Moines International airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A temporary loss of control during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postincident examination of the autopilot, pitch trim systems, and horizontal stabilizer revealed no anomalies consistent with a loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 2012 · about 1:35 pm local time
- Place
- Des Moines, Iowa · Des Moines International · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 560XL · all 560XLs on the register
- Registration
- N108EK · no longer on the register · serial 560-5032
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight crewmembers reported that, after about 10 minutes of cruise flight at 40,000 ft pressure altitude, they observed an autopilot pitch trim mistrim annunciation and an associated master caution indication. As they began to reference the applicable checklist, the autopilot automatically disengaged, the airplane suddenly pitched down, and the airspeed increased to about 30 knots over the redline. The flight crew regained control of the airplane and then leveled it at 33,000 ft pressure altitude. The flight crew subsequently landed the airplane without further incident. The autopilot was not used after the temporary loss of airplane control; however, the electric pitch trim was used after passing through 10,000 ft mean sea level, and it functioned normally. A postincident examination of the autopilot, pitch trim systems, and horizontal stabilizer did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a loss of control.
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
- Flight control sys malf/fail during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (cruise)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during uncontrolled descent
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Elevator tab control system › Malfunction
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Auto flight system › Autopilot system › Malfunction
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,709 hours in all; 620 in this make and model; 114 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 5,328 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 22, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,605 hours in all; 2,010 in this make and model; 87 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 7,025 as pilot in command; 1,143 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 22, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,510 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 29, 2012; 595 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 20,000 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PW545A (turbofan); 4,510 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PW545A (turbofan); 4,510 hours total
- Operator: Elliott Aviation Flight Services Inc
The flight
- Departed from: FCM Minneapolis MN at 12:48 pm
- Destination: GKY Arlington TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 180 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from DSM, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.