Cessna 560XL accident near Council Bluffs, Iowa, November 26, 2023
On November 26, 2023 at about 10:40 pm local time, a 2000 Cessna 560XL, registered N475CW, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Council Bluffs, Iowa. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight collision with a bird during decent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 2023 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Council Bluffs, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 560XL, built 2000 · all 560XLs on the register
- Registration
- N475CW · registry record · serial 560-5080
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while descending through a cloud layer, a crewmember saw a flock of birds and alerted the pilot. The pilot reported that he disconnected the autopilot and attempted to avoid the birds. The birds impacted the airplane which resulted in substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer. The crew made an uneventful landing following the bird strike
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
- Birdstrike during enroute (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,018 hours in all; 724 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 4,102 as pilot in command; 2,187 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 7, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,040 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 2,365 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 25, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,729.9 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 15, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 20,200 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PW545A (turbofan); 8,099 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PW545A (turbofan); 8,510 hours total
- Operator: Ultra Air, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: SRQ Sarasota FL at 7:30 pm
- Destination: OMA Omaha NE
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 12 knots
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from KOMA, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KOMA 262252Z 33012KT 10SM FEW044 00/M06 A3009 RMK AO2 PK WND 32027/2229 SLP202 T00001061=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Left Horizontal Stabilizer Damage
Photograph 2 – Upper Surface Damage of Left Horizontal StabilizerThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on February 29, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Birdstrike Form | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.