CEN17LA047

Factual narrative

On December 4, 2016, about 1853 mountain standard time, a Cessna Citation 500, N332SE, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing and runway excursion at the Gunnison-Crested Butte Airport (GUC), Gunnison, Colorado. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a business flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and the flight was on an instrument flight plan. The flight departed the San Jose International Airport (SJC), San Jose, California, about 1616 and Pueblo, Colorado, was the destination. The pilot reported that he originally requested that the fixed base operator (FBO) at SJC put 100 gallons of jet fuel in each wing fuel tank. Later during his preflight, the pilot decided that more fuel was needed, so he went back into the FBO and requested that the airplane's fuel tanks be topped off with fuel. The pilot was still in the FBO when he saw the lineman fuel the airplane from the fuel truck. He paid for the fuel without looking at the receipt and then proceeded out to the airplane. The pilot reported that he did not recheck the fuel gauges before departing SJC. The pilot reported that he departed on the flight, but it was not until about an hour after takeoff that he checked the fuel gauges. He stated that the fuel gauges were showing about 900 to 1,000 lbs of fuel per side, and he realized that the fuel tanks had not been topped off with fuel. He reduced the throttles to conserve fuel and to increase the airplane's flight endurance while he continued the flight to Pueblo, Colorado. The pilot reported that when the fuel gauges showed about 400 to 500 lbs of fuel per side, the low fuel lights for both wing fuel tanks illuminated. About 1840, the pilot reported to air traffic control (ATC) that the airplane was low on fuel and asked to land at the nearest airport. ATC provided radar vectors to GUC and initially cleared the flight for the ILS runway 6 approach. During the approach, the pilot reported that he had the runway in sight and ATC cleared the flight for a visual approach. The pilot reported that the airplane was high and fast on the approach. At 500 ft above ground level, the airspeed was about 120 knots. He misjudged the runway and the height above the ground and he stated, "I landed very hard on runway 24." During touchdown, the airplane bounced and then impacted the runway. The airplane's left main landing gear and nose gear collapsed and the airplane veered off the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At 1856, the surface weather observation at GUC was: wind 340 degrees at 4 knots; visibility 10 miles; sky condition few clouds at 7,500 ft; temperature -8 degrees C; dew point -13 degrees C; altimeter 30.08 inches of mercury. The commercial pilot of the jet reported that he initially requested that 100 lbs of fuel be added to both fuel tanks. During the subsequent preflight inspection, the pilot decided that more fuel was needed, so he requested that the airplane's fuel tanks be topped off with fuel. However, he did not confirm the fuel levels or check the fuel gauges before takeoff. He departed on the flight and did not check the fuel gauges until about 1 hour after takeoff. He stated that, at that time, the fuel gauges were showing about 900-1,000 lbs of fuel per side, and he realized that the fuel tanks had not been topped off as requested. He reduced engine power to conserve fuel and to increase the airplane's flight endurance while he continued to his destination. When the fuel gauges showed about 400-500 lbs of fuel per side, the low fuel lights for both wing fuel tanks illuminated. The pilot reported to air traffic control that the airplane was low on fuel and diverted the flight to the nearest airport. The pilot reported that the airplane was high and fast on the visual approach for landing. He misjudged the height above the ground and later stated that the airplane "landed very hard." The airplane's left main landing gear and nose gear collapsed and the airplane veered off the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

• C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Landing flare-Not attained/maintained - C
• C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-Pilot - C
• F Aircraft-Fluids/misc hardware-Fluids-Fuel-Fluid level - F
• F Personnel issues-Task performance-Planning/preparation-Fuel planning-Pilot - F