Canadair CL-600 accident near Aspen, Colorado, February 9, 2006
On February 9, 2006 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Canadair CL-600, registered N900LG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aspen, Colorado (Aspen-Pitkin Co/Sardy Field). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the flight's encounter with wake turbulence from the departing airplane resulting in the pilot's inability to control the airplane and the subsequent impact with the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 2006 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Aspen, Colorado · Aspen-Pitkin Co/Sardy Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Canadair CL-600 · all CL-600s on the register
- Registration
- N900LG · no longer on the register · serial 1036
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was landing on runway 15 when the airplane encountered wake vortices from an aircraft which had just departed runway 33. At 50 feet above ground level, the airplane rolled hard to the left and the stall warning horn activated. The pilot added power and the airplane rolled hard to the right. The pilot was able to stop the roll; however, the nose dropped and the right main landing gear impacted the runway, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot did not report any anomalies with the airframe, flight controls, engines, or weather.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,800 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 10,252 as pilot in command; 150 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,548 hours in all; 147 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,695 as pilot in command; 332 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,726 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 41,250 lb
- Seats: 14
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Honeywell ALF-502-C (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNY Van Nuys CA at 5:45 pm
- Destination: ASE Aspen CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 15, 7,006 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from ASE, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.