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Double engine flameout doomed NetJets Citation Latitude near Laredo highway landing
Both engines of a NetJets Citation Latitude flamed out during emergency approach to Laredo, Texas; fuel system damage and starter generator faults under investigation.
The gist
NetJets Citation Latitude crashed fatally near Laredo after both engines flamed out; investigators probe fuel system and generator issues.
A NetJets Cessna 680A Citation Latitude suffered a dual engine flameout during an emergency approach to Laredo, Texas, leading to a crash on a highway that killed one of six aboard. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) disclosed that both Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306D1 engines flamed out on final approach after the crew reported generator failures and fuel system warnings. The aircraft was operating a flight from Los Cabos, Mexico to Austin, Texas on June 16 when problems began.
During the flight, the crew experienced multiple system anomalies including an intermittent vibration which they reported to NetJets but were cleared to continue flying. Approaching the U.S. border near Monterrey, escalating alerts about electrical faults and low fuel pressure prompted the crew to declare an emergency and divert to Laredo. Houston area air traffic control vectored the jet for an approach to runway 36L, involving a 270-degree turn to lose altitude prior to final alignment.
On the final approach leg, the jet's right engine flamed out, followed seconds later by the left engine. With loss of power, the crew attempted to land on the Bob Bullock Loop highway, the only open area near the airport's runway. Video from the scene documented flames flaring around the airplane as it descended over the highway. The aircraft touched down on the northbound lane, shearing light poles and striking a vehicle before coming to rest on the edge of an overpass.
The crash caused the fuselage to roll onto its right side. After the main cabin door was opened, five occupants exited, but one of the four passengers succumbed to injuries. The NTSB investigation is focused on damage found to the fuel system, including a fractured weld joint in the right engine’s fuel tube assembly and a separated fuel pressure switch. Multiple clamps securing fuel tubes were also found broken.
Analysis revealed the right-hand engine starter generator was missing several screws from its outer housing. This generator, last overhauled less than two years prior and with about 57 hours remaining before overhaul, was removed and found to have a bent shaft, fractured cooling fan blades, and circumferential scoring within the fan shroud. Ball bearings and blade fragments were also discovered, indicating possible mechanical failure contributing to electrical issues.
These components, along with other wreckage parts, have been sent to the NTSB’s Washington laboratory for detailed examination. The investigation aims to determine the interplay of fuel system damage and starter generator failure in causing the dual engine flameouts and subsequent crash. The case highlights concerns about system integrity and maintenance reliability in business jets operating over remote areas.
This accident underscores the criticality of timely detection and mitigation of in-flight system failures. The initial crew reports of vibration and electrical anomalies illustrate how symptoms may precede catastrophic system breakdown. The findings from the NTSB probe could influence maintenance protocols and operational risk assessments for Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306D1-powered aircraft and other fleets.
Ultimately, the crash on a busy highway during an emergency diversion serves as a reminder of the challenges crews face when managing multiple simultaneous system failures while protecting occupant safety and minimizing ground hazards. The full investigation report, expected after comprehensive lab analyses, will provide key insights into how seemingly routine system faults can cascade into fatal accidents in business aviation.
Frequently asked questions
- What caused the Citation Latitude to crash near Laredo?
- Both engines flamed out during the emergency approach due to fuel system damage and starter generator issues, leading to a crash on a highway near Laredo.
- What problems did the flight crew report before the crash?
- The crew reported a generator failure, low right-hand fuel pressure, electrical issues, fuel system cautions, and an intermittent vibration before declaring an emergency and diverting.
- What did investigators find in the engine and fuel system parts?
- Investigators found a fractured weld joint separating the fuel pressure switch from the fuel tube, fractured fuel tube clamps, and damage to the right engine starter generator including a bent shaft and fractured cooling fan blades.
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FAA Sets Certification Rules for Electra EL9 Ultra Short Hybrid-Electric Aircraft
The FAA has approved a set of airworthiness and environmental regulations that will apply to the Electra EL9 Ultra Short, marking a significant step toward the introduction of hybrid-electric aircraft. Electra this week said the agency closed the G-1 issue paper for the EL9, which is intended for operations out of soccer field-sized spaces requiring only 150 feet for takeoff and landing. The approved G-1 establishes a formal certification basis for the aircraft under Part 23 regulations. In other words, it creates a framework for Electra to prove that the EL9 can meet the same safety standards required of existing commercial aircraft. The company said it submitted its Part 23 type certification application in November. Beyond outlining which airworthiness and environmental regulations—such as those governing aircraft noise—will apply to the EL9, the G-1 lays out any special conditions or equivalent level of safety (ELOS) findings that Electra is required to meet. Marc Allen, CEO of Electra, said in a statement that the milestone "reflects the hard work and productive collaboration between Electra and the FAA, who are working together to make the future of aviation real." Electra said the G-1 establishes the "regulatory foundation" for the EL9's novel features, including its blown-lift propulsion system that redirects airflows over large flaps and ailerons and into the ground. That allows the model to take off at a leisurely 35 knots, hence the low runway requirement. The G-1 also covers the aircraft's distributed electric propulsion system—comprising eight Evolito electric engines spread across the front of the wing—and digital fly-by-wire control system. The latter is built around Honeywell flight control computers and manipulates aerodynamic surfaces as well as the electric motors. It is designed to reduce pilot workload and support handling at low speeds. Electra's certification progress could have implications for the broader electric aviation industry. The firm joins Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation, and Beta Technologies as some of the only developers of passenger-carrying electric aircraft to obtain G-1 approval. Airbus is also developing a hybrid propulsion system that combines electricity with hydrogen, producing water as the only byproduct, though the project is in the nascent stages. Other competitors, such as Maeve Aerospace, have struggled to stay afloat . NASA in particular views Electra's technology as potentially transformational. The space agency picked the company for its Advanced Aircraft Concepts for Environmental Sustainability (AACES) 2050 initiative, asking it to develop the core technologies and design concepts for a new generation of all-electric commercial airliners. In June, Electra unveiled its concept for a hybrid-electric "double bubble" airliner that could fly up to 100 passengers. The partners will jointly study the concept, which is intended to improve fuel efficiency. What's Next? For Electra, the next phase of EL9 type certification will be the FAA's approval of a G-2 issue paper, which creates a "compliance checklist." Essentially, the G-2 describes how the EL9 will show compliance with each regulation that is outlined in the G-1 certification basis. "This stage will guide how Electra demonstrates that the aircraft meets the FAA-approved certification basis through engineering analysis, ground and flight testing, inspections, conformity activities, and certification data," said JP Stewart, Electra's senior vice president for product development. The company will also need to submit and receive approval for project-specific certification plans, which are non-legally binding, mutual statements of intent between the FAA and applicant that set expectations for the project. The idea is to hold each side accountable to its plans. After that, Electra will need to build and fly type-conforming aircraft internally. It has validated the aircraft's 150-foot ground roll with a two-seat demonstrator, the EL2 Goldfinch, but the EL9 has yet to fly. Electra anticipates the larger, flagship model's debut in 2027 or 2028. Then, Electra will need to complete more flying, this time with FAA personnel on board, during type inspection authorization (TIA). Once TIA is complete, and the agency has confirmed that the conforming aircraft meets the G-1 certification basis using the approved G-2 checklist, type certification can be formally issued. Per Electra, the company's team of engineers collectively has developed or certified more than 40 prior aircraft. The EL9 could be one of the first hybrid-electric aircraft to routinely fly passengers. At full capacity of 3,000 pounds, or a pilot plus nine passengers and 50 pounds of luggage each, it has a projected range of 330 nm, cruising at 175 knots. Per Electra, it will produce only 75 dBA of noise during takeoff and landing. Those features—combined with the ultra short takeoff and landing capability—are designed to open up operations away from airports. The EL9 is intended to use ultra-short "access points" that could be installed on rooftops, parking lots, fields, barges, malls, casinos, or even ski resorts. With access points, Electra estimates the EL9 could save travelers hours on more than 2,600 routes spanning 50 to 265 miles that are suboptimal for driving, but lack routine commercial air service. It believes it will need to produce 12,000 to 16,000 aircraft to meet demand for the first decade of its operations. Electra calls this vision " direct aviation ," and the company made significant progress toward realizing it this week after signing an agreement with Signature Aviation and UrbanV. The deal will see the partners explore the installation of access points across Signature's network of private aviation terminals. Beyond NASA, Signature, and UrbanV, the U.S. Air Force, Army, and Navy have all shown interest in the EL9.
FAA and DOT Launch Multi-State Trials for Electric and Autonomous Aircraft Integration
The FAA and U.S. Transportation Department's (DOT) highly anticipated trials of precertified electric air taxis, autonomous cargo drones, and other novel aviation technologies—expected to span at least three years and 26 states —are officially underway. The first operational flights under the agencies' eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) comprised deliveries of manufactured organs in Maryland and Virginia, conducted using Beta Technologies' all-electric Alia CX300 aircraft. Beta aims to certify and commercially launch the model—which has a demonstrated range of 337 nm and intended top speed of 153 knots—within the next few years. Beta said Friday that its Alia family of aircraft—which also includes the eVTOL A250—have flown more than 160,000 nm across the U.S., Europe, Japan, and New Zealand. Nearly all of that flying was conducted under the company's market survey ticket. But the eIPP will permit Beta and other manufacturers' precertified aircraft to conduct operations that were previously not allowed, potentially including cargo and passenger flights for revenue. The flights will also generate data on how these activities can be safely integrated alongside regular air traffic. The FAA is not funding them, but it could use those insights to create future requirements governing how the new entrants are certified and regulated. The FAA in March announced the eight lead eIPP participants, each led by a state or local transportation agency. After that, participants began negotiating with the agency toward other transaction agreements (OTAs) that set specific requirements, such as for data reporting and the number of flight hours and demonstrations required. A Beta spokesperson said the recent Alia campaign was conducted under one of these OTAs, which means the eIPP has officially begun. Kristen Costello, who leads government and regulatory affairs for Beta, told FLYING earlier this year that the eIPP will allow the company, which does much of its flying abroad, to become more familiar with the U.S. operating environment. It expects to generate operational data on a larger scale than it has been able to previously. "It's not, 'Does the airplane work?'" founder and CEO Kyle Clark told FLYING in April. "It's, 'Does the airplane work every single day in IMC, with real operational payloads? Charge at the right rate? Does the training work? Do the service and reliability meet the standards that our customers expect?'" First eIPP Flights Beta said the inaugural campaign covered about 275 nm and comprised "routine operations" between four airports—Virginia Tech/Montgomery Executive Airport (KBCB) in Blacksburg; Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport (KCHO) in Virginia; Frederick Municipal Airport (KFDK) in Maryland; and Martin State Airport (KMTN) in Baltimore County, Maryland. The activities were conducted in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Virginia Department of Aviation, and Maryland Aviation Administration. The manufactured organs are being developed by United Therapeutics, Beta's first investor and customer. Beta has already begun training the company's pilots to fly Alia. Per a recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing , United Therapeutics, which ordered an unspecified number of aircraft, pays Beta about $5 million annually in aircraft development costs. Beta has indicated that organ delivery will be one of Alia's first missions. It plans to test medical logistics throughout the eIPP and deliver the manufactured organs commercially once they become available. The company said Friday that United Therapeutics' subsidiary, United Bioelectronics, has advised it on aircraft autonomy, structures, and the deployment of electric charging infrastructure across 123 locations. "United Therapeutics contracted Beta to build an electric aircraft capable of delivering lifesaving cargo, and today we delivered on that agreement," Clark said in a statement. "Our long-term partnership with United Therapeutics has shaped Beta and our mission to build the aircraft, infrastructure, and operational ecosystem." United Therapeutics CEO Martine Rothblatt said in a statement that achieving the company's mission of saving millions of lives by delivering an unlimited supply of organs will require thousands of flights per day. The idea with Beta's Alia is to reduce the cost, improve the reliability, and lower the carbon footprint of those operations. But the Alia flights are only the beginning. PennDOT is leading a consortium of 18 states called the "Multistate Collaborative eIPP (MSCE) National Integration Complex." According to Anthony McCloskey, director of PennDOT's bureau of aviation, the group comprises three operators and four OEMs, three of which are Beta, Electra, and Pivotal. Electra plans to demonstrate 50-to-500-mile links between Atlantic City in New Jersey and locations such as Philadelphia International Airport (KPHL). Per a news release shared by Pivotal, Republic Airways is one of the other operators. The manufacturer of personal eVTOL aircraft said one goal of the consortium is to fly aircraft across state lines, within "heartland" regions that may lack reliable air service. The DOT said the PennDOT-led project will aim to "revitalize regional flights across the country, including routes similar to those supported through the Essential Air Service program." More to Come The FAA in 2024 published a special federal aviation regulation that set initial pilot training and operational requirements for eVTOL and other powered-lift aircraft. But they will expire after a decade, and regulators are working to develop permanent rules. The eIPP was established via a June 2025 White House executive order to help guide regulators as they complete that arduous task. It brings together state and local governments, manufacturers, operators, airports, and other partners at a scale not seen previously. Beta was selected for seven of the eight eIPP projects. But the program will also include electric air taxis from Archer Aviation, Joby Aviation, and Wisk Aero, hybrid-electric regional aircraft such as Electra's EL9, and autonomous cargo aircraft such as Elroy Air's Chaparral. Additional activities will be performed using Reliable Robotics' aircraft autonomy system and Ampaire's hybrid-electric powertrain, both of which are designed for retrofits. "Each eIPP project will showcase the broad public benefits of this technology—from moving people and cargo to supporting lifesaving emergency response—and the data we gather will help shape policies for safe, scalable operations nationwide,” said Chris Rocheleau, FAA deputy administrator, in a statement. As the eIPP progresses, it will touch an increasing number of states and incorporate more complex aircraft and operations. Beta has said it will initially conduct cargo operations using the conventional takeoff and landing CX300 before moving to passenger operations with the vertical takeoff A250. Wisk earlier this year told FLYING it plans to use helicopters and other aircraft before bringing its autonomous Generation 6 air taxi into the fold. Electra similarly will begin activities with its EL2 demonstrator before advancing to its flagship EL9 Ultra Short. Clark in June predicted that within three years, uncrewed, autonomous operations will become routine in several of the eIPP states.
Loose Elevator Plug Jammed Controls in Rob Holland MXS Crash at Langley AFB
The NTSB’s final report determined that a loose elevator counterweight plug jammed the flight controls of aerobatic pilot Rob Holland's MXS before his fatal accident at Langley Air Force Base. The agency published its final report July 2, more than 14 months after the April 24, 2025, accident. An earlier preliminary report identified damage around the customized elevator counterweight system as a possible explanation for the loss of control. The final report confirms that theory and details how contact between the plug and nearby horizontal stabilizer hardware restricted the elevator. Report_ERA25FA185_200061_7_10_2026 9_52_59 AM Download Final Report Details Failure Holland was arriving from Smyrna, Tennessee, to perform at the Air Power Over Hampton Roads airshow. Witnesses and recovered flight-instrument data showed that the airplane made a stable approach to Runway 08 and leveled about 50 feet above the runway. It traveled several hundred feet before pitching up and down twice. The airplane then climbed several hundred feet, rolled 90 degrees left and descended into the ground. Investigators found the left elevator counterweight plug in the grass about 10 feet behind the wreckage. Gouging and paint transfer were present around part of its circumference, and the horizontal stabilizer had corresponding dents and paint scrapes. Laboratory examination showed that impressions on the plug matched a nearby washer and screw, indicating repeated contact between the components. The adjustable elevator balance tube was a custom feature Holland had asked the manufacturer to add during construction. MX Aircraft described the plugs as a short-term solution, according to the report. The manufacturer did not provide continued-airworthiness instructions or specify installation torque values. Its design drawing also called for an O-ring to serve as a secondary locking device. Investigators found no O-ring on either elevator plug, and the installed plugs did not match the dimensions in the drawing. The NTSB said in its probable-cause determination that it was “a counterweight plug that loosened during the accident flight, jammed the elevator, and resulted in loss of control during landing." Safety Action And Holland's Career Following the accident, MX Aircraft issued a mandatory safety notice for MXS and MX2 airplanes fitted with adjustable balance tubes. The notice instructed owners to replace the adjustable counterweight arrangement by filling the tubes with a lead-and-resin mixture. Rob Holland, 50, had reported 15,387 hours of flight experience and held an airline transport pilot certificate. He was known internationally for his airshow performances and aerobatic competition record. AOPA reported that Holland won six World 4-Minute Freestyle championships and 13 consecutive U.S. National Aerobatic Championships. "Rob was one of the most respected and inspiring aerobatic pilots in aviation history," Rob Holland Aerosports said in a Facebook statement after the accident.
Pentagon Ends Suspension of South Carolina Apache Pilots After July 4th Coastal Flyover
The Pentagon has lifted the suspension of eight South Carolina Army National Guard pilots who flew four AH-64 Apache helicopters along the state's coastline during a Fourth of July event. Guard Reviewed Flight Profile The pilots participated in Salute from the Shore, an annual flyover that covers about 187 miles of the South Carolina coast. Videos posted online showed the Apaches flying at low altitude over beaches crowded with spectators. The National Guard temporarily removed the pilots from flight duties while it reviewed their flight profile and any possible safety violations. Officials described the move as a routine, nonpunitive safety measure and said the pilots remained in good standing and continued performing duties on the ground. Pentagon Intervenes "Effective immediately, the suspension of all involved South Carolina pilots has been lifted," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell wrote Friday on social media. "Carry on Patriots." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Thursday night via social media that the Pentagon would become involved. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and Rep. Russell Fry also called for the pilots to return to flight status. The Pentagon did not say whether the National Guard's review of the flight had concluded.
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