An aircraft accident that occurred at Telluride Regional Airport in the Western Colorado region of the United States caused brief panic. A medium-sized business jet overran the runway during landing and skidded for approximately 300 metres. The fact that the three people on board escaped without injury prevented a possible disaster.
According to a statement by the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred at around 12:15 local time. It was reported that the aircraft involved was a Cessna Citation X and that there were two pilots and one passenger on board.
One of the pilots told investigators that strong crosswinds affecting the area at the time of landing made it difficult to control the aircraft and caused the jet to veer off the runway. According to information shared by the Sheriff’s Office, the aircraft’s left main landing gear collapsed during the excursion. As a result of the incident, one wing of the aircraft and one of its wheels were damaged.
Photographs shared by the Sheriff’s Office showed the Cessna-type jet stopped in a snowy and grassy area near the runway, with one of its wings in contact with the ground and sustaining serious damage.
Following the accident, the runways at Telluride Regional Airport were temporarily closed to flights. It was reported that officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would launch a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
