A Cessna Citation X crashed at the Chautauqua County Jamestown Airport at 10:12AM, Monday August 5th.

The aircraft was traveling from Dunkirk, New York, when it went down near the airport’s main runway. Both the pilot and co-pilot survived the incident, though thick black smoke from the fire was visible for miles.

After the crash, both individuals were able to exit the plane on their own. The pilot, a tenant of Dunkirk airport, was said to have sustained facial injuries and was flown to ECMC for treatment, while the co-pilot was transported to UPMC Chautauqua for care. 

Chautauqua County Emergency Management Director Noel Guttman praised the quick response of the airport crew: “High praise needs to go to the airport crew that was on staff, that responded to it as they watched it unfold. I believe that our training and emergency response plans really played a large part in this particular incident.”

Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel also commended the efforts of the firefighters: “It was very intuitive of our airport firefighters. They were able to identify the plane, call it in, and provide very specific information. I could not be prouder of the first responders; it worked seamlessly. We will be going back and will debrief the situation, but from my position right now, I think that everything went really well."

Fifteen different agencies from across New York responded to the scene, including Busti and Cassadaga Volunteer Fire Departments, New York State Police, Chautauqua County Police, and Ellicottville Police.

Shannon Fischer, Chautauqua County’s Manager of Airports, thanked the emergency services: “We want to thank all of the local law enforcement, fire departments, and everyone who helped us out today. It was a tenant of ours out of Dunkirk, who are very near and dear to our hearts, and we are just glad that they are okay.”

The fire did not cause significant damage to the runway, but cleanup will be necessary. Officials believe an electrical issue caused a communication failure in the plane, leading to the crash landing. The incident remains under investigation.

Stay tuned for updates as more information becomes available.