Cessna 560XL accident near White Plains, New York, April 15, 2008
On April 15, 2008 at about 5:50 pm local time, a Cessna 560XL, registered N613QS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near White Plains, New York (Westchester County airport). It was an executive or corporate flight 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
An uncommanded landing gear retraction after touchdown for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 2008 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- White Plains, New York · Westchester County · map
- Type
- Accident
- 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
- N613QS · no longer on the register · serial 560-5599
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · fractional-ownership rules (Part 91 subpart K)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After an uneventful flight, the airplane touched down at its destination airport. Approximately 3 seconds after touchdown, about the time when the speedbrakes were deployed, the landing gear warning horn began to annunciate and the landing gear retracted. There were no unsafe landing gear configuration warnings prior to touchdown. Extensive testing of the airplane's hydraulic and electrical systems did not reveal any malfunctions that would have resulted in the accident sequence. The landing gear and speedbrake systems were independent; however, wiring from both systems were located on five sets of common connectors. Examination of the wires and connector pins within wiring bundles common to the speedbrake and landing gear system did not reveal any evidence of electrical faults; however, an electrical short could have existed at the time of the accident which would have resulted in a spurious retract signal and would not have been evident in subsequent testing.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Malfunction
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,659 hours in all; 1,651 in this make and model; 135 in the last 90 days; 62 in the last 30 days; 7,354 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 16, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 23,000 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 19,889 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 22, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,496 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 5, 2008; 118 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 20,200 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PW545B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PW545B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Netjets Aviation, Inc. (Program Manager)
The flight
- Departed from: PBI West Palm Beach FL at 3:15 pm
- Destination: HPN White Plains NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 34, 6,548 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 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
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.