Violent crosswind causes plane crash at Colorado mountain airport
A private plane with three people on board veered off the runway while landing at Telluride Regional Airport in Colorado
A private plane was violently thrown off the runway Tuesday in Colorado after a sudden, strong gust of wind struck the side of the aircraft as it was landing, local authorities said.
The incident occurred around 12:15 p.m. at Telluride Regional Airport in the western part of the state when the plane lost directional control moments after Its wheels touched the ground, according to the San Miguel County Sheriff's Office.
Substantial damage to the aircraft
The aircraft, a mid-sized Cessna 750, was carrying two pilots and one passenger. According to the official report, the plane skidded approximately 300 yards off the runway and came to a stop on snow-covered grass, with its landing gear collapsed.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) detailed that the initial damage occurred with the collapse of the left landing gear during landing. The sheriff's office added that the nose wheel and one of the wings were also damaged during the skid.
Images released by authorities show the aircraft off the paved runway, with one of the wings apparently touching the ground.
No injuries and airport closed
Despite the violence of the incident, no injuries were reported. Telluride fire crews responded to the scene to assess the occupants of the aircraft. “All occupants were able to exit on their own and no injuries were reported,” stated the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office, which also confirmed that there was no fire or smoke following the crash. As a precautionary measure, the airport was temporarily closed after the incident. According to FAA aircraft registration, the Cessna is owned by Mach .92 Leasing LLC, based in Raleigh, North Carolina.The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the FAA announced they will open an investigation to determine the exact causes of the accident and assess the weather conditions that influenced the landing.

