Cessna Citation 560 accident near Hamilton, Montana, July 10, 2006
On July 10, 2006 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Cessna Citation 560, registered N50CV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hamilton, Montana (Ravalli County airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point and to execute a go-around, which lead to an overrun of the runway surface. Contributing to the accident was his failure to maintain the correct landing approach speed (Vref), his failure to maintain the correct glide path, and the swampy and rough/uneven terrain the airplane encountered after departing the end of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2006 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Hamilton, Montana · Ravalli County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna Citation 560
- Registration
- N50CV · no longer on the register · serial 560-0293
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while he was executing a visual flight rules extended straight-in approach to a full-stop landing, he encountered 10 knot wind fluctuations. He therefore decided to increase his approach speed by 10 knots. In addition to the increased airspeed, the pilot flew a flatter than normal approach descent angle. Due to the increased airspeed and the flatter approach, the airplane floated longer than normal after the initiation of the landing flare. Instead of executing a go-around after it became obvious that the airplane would not settle to the runway near the normal touchdown point, the pilot elected to continue the landing sequence. Once the airplane touched down, the pilot was unable to get it stopped in the remaining runway, and it departed the end of the runway and experienced a nose gear collapse after encountering rough/uneven, swampy terrain. The expected landing distance for the airplane was calculated based upon the Vref plus ten airspeed of 108 knots, a landing gross weight of 11,000 pounds, and the reported ambient weather conditions. According to those extrapolated calculations, the landing distance would have been expected to be about 3,100 feet. This distance does not include the use of thrust reversers, as the Model 560 landing performance charts for dry hard surface runways do not take into consideration use of the thrust reversers. The performance section of the Model 560 FAA-Approved flight manual stated that the landing is to be proceeded by, "...a steady three degree angle approach down to the 50-foot height point with airspeed at Vref in the landing configuration." According to Cessna Aircraft, maintaining a flatter approach, or an airspeed above designated Vref, will extend the landing distance beyond what is published in the performance tables. Review of the archived aviation surface weather observations (METAR) for Ravalli County Airport revealed that the winds measured at 1053, eight minutes after the accident, were from 150 degrees at five knots. The wind observations recorded at 0953 indicated calm winds, and the recorded winds at 0853 were 220 degrees at four knots.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,850 hours in all; 487 in this make and model; 137 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 1,803 as pilot in command; 652 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,392 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 16,300 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney JT15D-5D (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KVIS Visalia CA at 3:15 pm
- Destination: 6S5 Hamilton MT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 34, 4,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.