A NetJets Cessna 680A Citation Latitude made an emergency landing on September 16, 2026, at Missoula Montana Airport in Missoula, Montana, after experiencing a landing gear malfunction. Available information indicates the aircraft departed from Billings-Logan International Airport and was traveling to Hamilton-Ravalli County Airport before diverting to Missoula.
The aircraft reportedly landed on Runway 29 with the nose gear retracted. Both pilots were not injured, and the aircraft sustained minor damage. Airport operations were temporarily paused while crews worked to remove the aircraft from the runway. Regular operations later resumed.
The cause of the landing gear malfunction remains under investigation.
Landing gear malfunctions can create serious aviation emergencies
A nose-gear malfunction is a serious event for any aircraft, including a business jet. When the nose gear does not deploy or lock properly, the flight crew must manage aircraft control, emergency procedures, fuel load, runway selection, communications, and passenger or crew safety. Even when the landing is handled successfully, the aircraft may slide, veer, suffer structural damage, or block airport operations.
Gear up landings can occur when landing gear fails to extend, fails to lock, collapses on landing, or gives unreliable cockpit indications. A nose-gear-up landing can place unusual loads on the forward fuselage, nose structure, avionics bay, and cockpit area. It can also increase the risk of runway damage, sparks, fire, and loss of directional control.
In this incident, the pilots were able to land safely and avoid injuries. The successful outcome does not eliminate the need to determine why the nose gear did not deploy.
Why diversion to Missoula mattered
The aircraft was reportedly traveling from Billings to Hamilton before diverting to Missoula. When a landing gear problem develops, the crew may choose a different airport based on runway length, emergency response availability, weather, terrain, maintenance resources, air traffic, and the ability to handle a disabled aircraft after landing.
A larger airport may offer better emergency-response resources, longer runways, and more space for an abnormal landing. A business jet experiencing a front landing gear problem may also need a runway where responders can stage safely and where airport personnel can manage delays caused by a disabled aircraft.
The decision to divert can be an important part of managing the emergency. Investigators may review when the malfunction was detected, what procedures were performed, what communications occurred, and why Missoula was selected.
Mechanical issues in retractable landing gear systems
A Citation Latitude uses retractable landing gear. Retractable landing gear systems depend on mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, warning, indication, and locking components. A malfunction may involve the gear itself, the actuator, hydraulic pressure, switches, sensors, uplocks, downlocks, doors, wiring, cockpit indications, or related systems.
Potential issues may include:
- Failure of the nose gear to extend
- Failure of the nose gear to lock
- Hydraulic system malfunction
- Electrical or sensor problems
- Mechanical binding
- Door or linkage interference
- Prior maintenance issues
- Component fatigue
- Incorrect adjustment or rigging
- Warning or indication problems
A landing gear malfunction often requires careful review of aircraft maintenance records. Investigators may examine whether the aircraft had prior landing gear discrepancies, recent inspections, repairs, recurring writeups, or component replacements.
Maintenance records and airworthiness review
When a business jet experiences a technical malfunction, maintenance records become central. Investigators may review logbooks, inspection history, maintenance signoffs, service bulletins, component tracking, repair records, and whether any prior issues were reported.
An Airworthiness Directive may be relevant in some mechanical-failure cases if the FAA has required inspection, replacement, or corrective action for a component or system. There is no public indication that an Airworthiness Directive caused or explains this incident, but AD compliance is often reviewed when a mechanical system fails.
Aviation cases involving gear malfunctions can also involve questions about whether the aircraft was airworthy before departure. If a prior gear issue was noted but not corrected, or if maintenance was performed improperly, those facts may affect the legal analysis.
Landing with the nose gear retracted
A nose-gear-up landing presents different risks than a complete belly landing. The main landing gear may support the aircraft initially, but the nose section can drop to the runway as the aircraft slows. That can damage the forward fuselage, nose gear doors, avionics, antennae, and lower structures. It may also affect steering and directional control after touchdown.
The flight crew must manage aircraft speed, pitch attitude, touchdown point, braking, engine shutdown, evacuation readiness, and emergency communications. Responders must be prepared for sparks, fuel leaks, fire, runway debris, and the possibility that the aircraft may stop disabled on the runway.
A safe landing in this situation reflects effective emergency management, but the underlying malfunction still requires technical investigation.
Airport disruption after an emergency landing
After the aircraft landed with the nose gear retracted, airport operations were temporarily paused while crews worked to remove the plane from the runway. A disabled aircraft on an active runway can delay inbound and outbound flights, require runway inspection, and limit airport operations until the aircraft is removed and the surface is cleared.
A nose-gear-up landing can leave runway marks, debris, fluid, or damaged components. Airport personnel may need to confirm that the runway is safe before operations resume. Emergency response, aircraft recovery, and runway inspection are all part of managing the aftermath of an abnormal landing.
Evidence after a landing gear malfunction
Important evidence after a landing gear malfunction may include aircraft maintenance records, pilot reports, cockpit warnings, flight crew statements, air traffic communications, runway marks, photographs, inspection records, component history, and data from aircraft systems.
Any available flight data may help determine when the malfunction occurred, what warnings appeared, what checklist steps were performed, aircraft speed, landing configuration, touchdown dynamics, and crew response.
Some business jets may contain recorded data or maintenance diagnostic information that can help identify the failure. Even where there is no traditional crash sequence, the aircraft’s systems may contain useful information about the landing gear status and malfunction history.
The official accident report or any later investigative findings may provide additional information about the technical malfunction, aircraft condition, and contributing factors.
Legal issues after a business jet emergency landing
A business jet emergency landing involving mechanical failure can raise several legal and technical issues. Depending on the facts, the review may include the aircraft operator, owner, maintenance provider, parts manufacturer, inspection provider, repair facility, or component supplier.
Potential issues may include improper maintenance, defective components, missed inspections, inadequate troubleshooting, failure to comply with required procedures, or failure to correct prior gear problems. An aviation accident attorney can assist with preserving evidence, reviewing maintenance records, working with aviation experts, and determining whether the malfunction resulted from a preventable failure.
Although no injuries were reported here, similar landing gear malfunctions can cause serious harm in other cases. A hard touchdown, runway excursion, fire, loss of control, or evacuation injury can lead to burn injuries, traumatic brain injury, spinal injuries, or other serious trauma.
Speak With an Aviation Accident Attorney After a Plane Emergency
Spagnoletti Law Firm represents people and families affected by serious aviation accidents, mechanical failures, and other catastrophic events. When a business jet makes an emergency landing because landing gear will not deploy properly, it is important to determine whether aircraft maintenance issues, defective components, inspection failures, prior repair problems, or other preventable hazards contributed to the incident.
An aviation accident attorney can help preserve aircraft components, review maintenance records, evaluate compliance with applicable requirements, consult aviation experts, and determine whether an injured person or family has a claim.
We offer a free consultation, and we handle aviation accident cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront attorney’s fees and we are paid only if we recover compensation for you.
If you or a loved one has been impacted by an aviation accident, call Spagnoletti Law Firm at 713-804-9306 or contact us online.