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A Textron Citation Latitude 680A, operated by NetJets as a fractional ownership flight, was substantially damaged following a dual-engine power loss and forced landing near Laredo International Airport, Texas, on 16 June 2026. The aircraft was en-route from Los Cabos, Mexico, to Austin, Texas, carrying two pilots and four passengers. One passenger was fatally injured, the captain sustained serious injuries, and five others, including a motorist on the ground, suffered minor injuries.
According to the flight crew, an unusual low-frequency vibration and humming noise was noticed early in the flight. After consultation with NetJets maintenance control, the vibration was initially believed to be associated with an avionics cooling fan, particularly after an Air Data Computer warning message appeared and subsequently cleared following checklist actions. The flight continued towards its destination.
As the aircraft neared the US-Mexico border, a series of warning messages indicated low fuel pressure in the right fuel system, followed by additional electrical and fuel-system alerts. The crew declared an emergency and diverted to Laredo. During the approach, the right engine flamed out, followed seconds later by the left engine. Unable to reach the airport, the crew landed on the Bob Bullock Loop highway approximately one mile southeast of the airport. The aircraft struck several light poles and a vehicle before coming to rest on an overpass.
Videos reviewed by investigators showed two instances of fire emanating from the aircraft during the final approach. Examination of the wreckage identified a fractured right-engine fuel tube assembly, a separated fuel pressure switch, fractured support clamps, and a starter-generator with missing housing screws, a bent shaft and a damaged cooling fan. These components have been sent to NTSB laboratories for detailed examination.
The NTSB emphasises that the investigation remains preliminary. Flight recorder and cockpit voice recorder data have been recovered and will be analysed to determine the sequence of failures that resulted in the loss of both engines and subsequent forced landing.
Photo source: Alec Wilson from Khon Kaen, Thailand, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons