Dassault-Breguet MYSTERE FALCON 900 accident near Pinedale, Wyoming, February 7, 2001
On February 7, 2001 at about 3:50 am local time, a Dassault-Breguet MYSTERE FALCON 900, registered N59CF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pinedale, Wyoming (Pinedale 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
**This report was modified on 2/18/2016. Refer to the public docket for this accident for an explanation of the changes.** loss of directional control after touchdown for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 2001 · about 3:50 am local time
- Place
- Pinedale, Wyoming · Pinedale · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Dassault-Breguet MYSTERE FALCON 900 · all MYSTERE FALCON 900s on the register
- Registration
- N59CF · registry record · serial 098
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
**This report was modified on 2/18/2016. Refer to the public docket for this accident for an explanation of the changes.** After completing a flight from Washington, DC, and after touchdown on runway 29, the airplane departed the left side off the runway and came to rest in the snow. The left main landing gear collapsed and the left wing, wing slats, and the No. 3 engine nacelle were damaged. Examination of the brake system found an electrical anomaly in one of two tacho-generators in the right main landing gear. Postaccident testing determined that the anomaly was not sufficient to affect brake performance. Analysis of cockpit voice recorder (CVR) information, weather data, and runway conditions indicated that the flight crew flew a straight-in global positioning system/non-directional beacon approach to runway 29. CVR and weather information indicated that both approaches to runway 29, including a missed approach, were flown below reported approach minimums of 2 miles visibility, although after the accident, the flight crew reported they had the runway in sight at 2 miles on the second approach. CVR information indicated that the final approach was unstabilized and required airplane configuration changes and maneuvering at a low altitude. Postaccident runway evidence (tire tracks on the snow-covered runway) indicated that the Falcon's right main landing gear touched down left of the runway centerline. The airport manager reported that light snow covered the runway and that there was no evidence of skidding.
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
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: 9,493 hours in all; 1,497 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 7,450 as pilot in command; 3,550 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 12, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Last flight review: December 5, 2000
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,225 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 13, 2000; 101 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 46,700 lb
- Seats: 15
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Honeywell 731-5BR-1C (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jet Aviation Business Jets
The flight
- Departed from: DCA Ronald Reagan DC
- Destination: PNA Pinedale WY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 29, 7,100 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 0.8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN01LA050.