Cessna 560XL incident near Ocoee, Florida, December 2, 2011
On December 2, 2011 at about 5:28 pm local time, a Cessna 560XL, registered N576CS, was involved in an incident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Ocoee, Florida. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
Water contamination in the pitch trim actuators.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 2011 · about 5:28 pm local time
- Place
- Ocoee, Florida · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 560XL · all 560XLs on the register
- Registration
- N576CS · no longer on the register · serial 560-5794
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight crew reported that a "pitch trim miscompare" message illuminated in the cockpit just before they were to level off at 41,000 feet mean sea level (msl). After accomplishing the checklist items and disconnecting the autopilot, the flight crew had to exert considerable forward yoke pressure to maintain level flight. The flight crew found the manual pitch trim control wheel to be "frozen" in the forward position and were unable to move it. They declared an emergency and initiated a descent. Upon reaching 8,000 feet msl, the trim wheel released and the system returned to normal. The airplane landed uneventfully. Maintenance personnel inspected the left and right pitch trim actuators and found that the grease was contaminated with water. The actuators had been inspected and lubricated within the required 1,200-hour interval.
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
- Flight control sys malf/fail during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Elevator tab control system › Malfunction
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Grease › Fluid condition
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,623 hours in all; 678 in this make and model; 83 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 8,568 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 14, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,108 hours in all; 1,093 in this make and model; 118 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 3,617 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 19, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,623 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 13, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 20,200 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PW545B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PW545B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Citationshares Management LLC
The flight
- Departed from: APF Naples FL at 3:50 pm
- Destination: IAD Dulles VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; a few clouds at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from MCO, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.