Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn June 4, 2021, about 0954 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 560XL airplane, N615RG, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (ASE), Aspen, Colorado. The two pilots and three passengers were uninjured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
According to the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) transcript, at 0933:17, as the flight neared ASE, the crew obtained the current weather information via automatic terminal information service (ATIS) information, which indicated that the wind was calm at ASE. At 0948:05, the crew contacted the ASE tower controller, who reported that the wind was from 030° at 3 knots. The CVR recorded an increase in ambient noise at this time, consistent with the landing gear extension. At 0948:48, the crew confirmed that landing gear was extended. At 0952:52, the crew completed the before-landing checklist, including a confirmation that the landing gear was down. Shortly after touchdown, the CVR recorded the aural landing gear warning, which sounded for the remainder of the recording. At 0954:05, the airplane stopped, and the crewmembers commented that the gear had failed and that they had previously confirmed the illumination of three green landing gear indicator lights.
In postaccident statements, the flight crewmembers reported that the pilot flying was in the left seat and that the copilot was in the right seat. The approach was stabilized and normal, and the three green landing gear indicator lights were illuminated. The aural landing gear warning annunciated during landing and after speed brake deployment. The right wing gradually dropped and scraped the runway, and the airplane veered to the right and then came to rest on the right side of the runway.
Airport surveillance video showed the airplane landing and all three landing gear were visible. After the airplane touched down, the right wing contacted the runway surface, and sparks emanated from the lower side until the airplane came to rest. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe airplane’s landing gear system was electrically controlled and hydraulically actuated. The landing gear actuators incorporated an internal lock to hold the gear in the extended position. The actuators were held in the retracted position by mechanical uplocks that are normally released hydraulically.
In the cockpit, the landing gear control panel contained the landing gear handle, an audible warning system, three gear safe lights, and a red gear unlock indicator (see figure 1). Each green light corresponded to one gear and indicated that it was in the down-and-locked position. The red light indicated an unsafe gear position (in transit or not locked). The landing gear handle had two positions, full up (RETRACT) and full down (EXTEND). The gear handle had to be pulled out to clear a detent before the handle could be repositioned. Operation of the gear and gear doors began after the handle