Canadair CL-600-1A11 accident near Aspen, Colorado, October 29, 1988
On October 29, 1988 at about 8:55 pm local time, a Canadair CL-600-1A11, registered N909MG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aspen, Colorado (Aspen/Pitkin County airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people had minor injuries; 5 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PIC'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW APPROVED PROCEDURES AND DIRECTIVES; THE PIC'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN/MAINTAIN DIRECTION CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, THE PIC'S FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF IN A TIMELY MANNER; AND THE PIC'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROPER ABORTED TAKEOFF PROCEDURES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 1988 · about 8:55 pm local time
- Place
- Aspen, Colorado · Aspen/Pitkin County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 5 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Canadair CL-600-1A11 CL-600-1A1 · all CL-600-1A11s on the register
- Registration
- N909MG · no longer on the register · serial 1010
- 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 PLT USED THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING SYSTEM (NWSS) WHILE TAXIING FM THE FBO TO THE RWY. HE BACK-TAXIED DOWN THE RWY & MADE A 180 DEG TURN, THEN WITHOUT STOPPING, HE BEGAN THE TAKEOFF ROLL. THERE WERE NO RPRTD MALFUNCTIONS OF THE NWSS BEFORE COMMENCING THE TAKEOFF. THE PLT STATED HE HAD DIFFICULTY IN STEERING THE ACFT ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL. AS THE ENGS SPOOLED UP, THE ACFT TRACKED TO THE RGT OF THE RWY CENTERLINE. SUBSEQUENTLY, AS HE CORRECTED WITH THE NWSS, THE ACFT VEERED LEFT, THEN RIGHT, AS IT WAS ACCELERATING. THE PLT INITIATED ABORT PROCEDURES BEFORE REACHING 80 KTS, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN DRCTNL CTL. HE STATED HE RETARDED THE THRUST LEVERS TO IDLE, APPLIED MAX BRAKING & SELECTED REVERSE THRUST, BUT THE ACFT ACCELERATED WHEN THE ENGS SPOOLED UP WITHOUT ACTIVATION OF THE THRUST REVERSERS. HE SHUT DOWN THE ENGS, BUT THE ACFT HIT 3 PARKED ACFT BEFORE STOPPING. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN EARLY MODEL (DOWTY ROTOL) NWSS. POST-ACDNT EXAMS OF THE NWSS & THRUST REVERSERS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 750 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 7,000 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,779 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 7, 1988; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 41,250 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming ALF-502-L2 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASE at 8:55 pm
- Destination: BUR Burbank CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 33, 7,003 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from ASE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.