Cessna 560XL incident near White Plains, New York, May 28, 2010
On May 28, 2010 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Cessna 560XL, registered N662QS, suffered minor damage in an incident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near White Plains, New York (Westchester County Airport). It was flown under fractional-ownership rules (Part 91 subpart K). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight crew's failure to ensure that the cabin door was secured/locked prior to takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 2010 · about 4:20 pm local time · cases in 2010
- Place
- White Plains, New York · Westchester County Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 560XL · all 560XLs on the register
- Registration
- N662QS · registry record · serial 5605262
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · fractional-ownership rules (Part 91 subpart K)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After concluding the preflight safety briefing for the passengers, the first officer closed the cabin door. The first officer remembered rotating the door locking handle but could not recall the direction he rotated it. He also could not recall looking at the cabin door lock indicator lights or the cockpit indicator, as was required by the operator's preflight checklist. Just after takeoff, the captain recalled that he heard the cabin door "leaking" and the first officer observed that the DOOR SEAL/CABIN DOOR annunciator lights were illuminated. When asked, the first officer did not recall the MASTER CAUTION annunciator illuminating. Had the MASTER CAUTION annunciator illuminated, it would have been one indication that the door was properly secured prior to the takeoff. While on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern during the return for landing, the main cabin door opened. The crew subsequently declared an emergency, and landed uneventfully with the main cabin door open. The airplane incurred minor damage during the landing and the passengers and crew were not injured. Postincident examination of the door and its locking and indicating mechanisms revealed no evidence of any mechanical malfunctions or failures. Because of the close proximity of the amber-colored CABIN DOOR annunciator light and the white-colored GROUND IDLE annunciator light, it is possible that the flight crew inadvertently overlooked the illuminated CABIN DOOR annunciator light prior to takeoff.
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
- Aircraft inspection event during prior to flight
- Miscellaneous/other during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Flight crew
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Doors › Passenger/crew doors › Incorrect use/operation other cases naming the airframe structure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,459 hours in all; 1,737 in this make and model; 126 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 31, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- 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: 5,964 hours in all; 1,432 in this make and model; 84 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 26, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,384 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 22, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 20,200 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PW545 SER (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PW545 SER (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HPN White Plains NY
- Destination: ACK Nantucket MA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 6,548 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,200 ft; ovct at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from HPN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
9 documents, released by the NTSB on September 28, 2011. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Flight Crew Statements | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photo - Damage to Cabin Door (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Maintenance Manual Excerpts | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Annunciator Diagram | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Operator's Checklist Excerpt | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Cockpit Voice Recorder 12 - Factual Report of Group Chairman | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N662QS the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N662QS on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 560 Citation V, Ultra, Encore and Excel 1,344 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: P&W Canada PW545 SER 287 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: P&W Canada PW545 SER 287 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Westchester County · nearest airport
- Nantucket Memorial · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in New York 1,964 since 1982 · 249 in the last ten years
- New York 6,663 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N662QS 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA10IA285.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.