NetJets Pilot Safely Lands Citation Without Nose Gear at Akron-Canton Airport

On Tuesday, August 18, 2026, the aircraft pilots of a NetJets Cessna Citation Longitude made an emergency landing at Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) in Green, Ohio, after the jet’s front landing gear failed to extend on approach from Washington Dulles International Airport. The two crew members — the only people aboard — touched down on the main wheels, held the nose off the runway as long as possible, and walked away without injury. The aircraft sustained damage to its nose and underside.

Editor’s note: This article draws on statements from the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Akron-Canton Airport, City of Green Fire Division, and reporting from Fox 8 Cleveland, Cleveland 19 News, the Akron Beacon Journal (via USA TODAY Network), and AeroTime, August 18–19, 2026. The cause of the gear malfunction remains under investigation.

What happened on August 18

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) and airport officials, NetJets Flight EJA803 — tail number N803QS — was arriving from Dulles when the crew reported a nose-gear malfunction during approach.

Detail	Information
Date and time	August 18, 2026, approximately 12:53 p.m. local
Aircraft	Cessna Citation Longitude (Textron Model 700), registered N803QS
Operator	NetJets fractional-ownership fleet
Route	Washington Dulles (IAD) → Akron-Canton (CAK)
People aboard	Two pilots; no passengers
Landing site	Runway 1 at Akron-Canton Airport
Outcome	No injuries; damage to nose and underside

Flight-tracking data cited by multiple outlets showed the jet departing Dulles around 10:48 a.m. and reaching Akron-Canton at about 12:54 p.m.

Witnesses and firefighters told Fox 8 that the crew circled the airport several times while working through emergency checklists in an attempt to lower the stuck nose gear. When those efforts failed, the pilots committed to landing with only the main landing gear extended.

How the pilots handled the landing

Video recorded at the scene — including footage from Keith Grossmann, a 47-year pilot and CEO of nearby Castle Aviation — shows a technique rarely seen in public: the jet touched down on its rear/main wheels, the pilots kept the nose elevated for several seconds as the aircraft slowed, and only then allowed the nose to settle onto the pavement.

Grossmann, who monitored radio traffic during the approach, told Fox 8 the crew ran “everything he could possibly do” on the emergency checklist before choosing to land. He called the result “an outstanding job” and noted that partial gear failures — where two of three gear legs deploy but one does not — are unusually rare compared with full belly landings.

Aviation specialists quoted in industry coverage said holding the nose up as long as possible helps bleed off speed and can reduce the risk of a violent pitch-down that might destabilize the aircraft on rollout. The Citation Longitude’s size and weight still meant substantial cosmetic and structural damage once the nose contacted the runway, but the controlled sequence appeared to have kept the crew safe.

Airport and emergency response

City of Green Fire Division crews and Akron-Canton Airport emergency operations responded to the incident in Summit County.

• Runway 1 was closed immediately after the landing.
• Airport staff worked to reopen Runway 23 for continued operations.
• The terminal remained open throughout the response.
• By about 3:25 p.m., Runway 23 had reopened and airport operations had returned to normal, an airport spokesperson told the Akron Beacon Journal.

OSHP said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had been notified. The agency typically participates in reviewing gear-related incidents involving commercial and fractional jet operations, though the National Transportation Safety Board decides case-by-case whether to launch a full investigation.

About the aircraft

The FAA registry lists N803QS as a 2020 Textron Aviation Model 700 Citation Longitude, configured for fractional ownership through NetJets.

The Longitude is the largest jet in Cessna’s current business-aircraft line — a super-midsize model powered by two Honeywell HTF7700L turbofans, with a published range of roughly 3,500 nautical miles. NetJets became the type’s launch customer after a major 2018 order; its Longitudes are typically configured for up to 12 passengers, though this repositioning flight carried crew only.

NetJets, one of the world’s largest private-aviation providers, has not publicly commented on the cause of Tuesday’s malfunction as of reporting on August 19.

What investigators will examine

OSHP said its inquiry remains ongoing, with additional information to be released when available. Early public statements did not identify a probable cause.

Investigators routinely review:

• Maintenance and gear-extension logs for N803QS
• Cockpit voice and flight-data recorders, if equipped and recoverable
• Air-traffic communications during the hold and approach
• Weather and runway conditions at CAK
• NetJets and manufacturer service bulletins related to landing-gear systems

Partial gear failures can stem from hydraulic, mechanical, or electronic faults, but officials cautioned that any explanation at this stage would be speculative.

---

Discussion

1. When only one landing-gear leg fails, should pilots keep circling to troubleshoot—or commit to landing sooner?

The EJA803 crew spent time on checklists and orbits before touching down. Where would you draw the line between buying time to fix a gear and burning fuel, altitude, and attention?

2. Does widely shared witness video help the public understand aviation safety—or mainly amplify alarm?

Clips from Castle Aviation and firefighters spread quickly nationwide. Does that visibility build confidence in pilot training, or does it risk turning a successful outcome into sensational footage?

If you follow aviation or have trained on emergency procedures, share what you think the crew got right—and what you’d want investigators to answer first.

---