Pilot Arrested After Crash

Escaping without serious injury after crash landing his Cessna Citation 550 recently  at Nevada’s Mesquite Airport, the sole-occupant pilot was subsequently arrested on one count of driving under the influence. An FAA spokesperson told local reporters that the agency currently does not know the circumstances of the crash, but said the twinjet was flying from Pasco, Washington, and was destined for Henderson Executive Airport in Las Vegas, about 80 miles from Mesquite.

The pilot—41-year-old Ryan Dashiell of Spokane, Washington—was arrested for suspicion of operating an aircraft while under the influence of alcohol and is facing a gross misdemeanor charge. After the accident, Dashiell was taken to a hospital for a checkup, then transported to the Clark County Detention Center. The 1981 aircraft (N320JT) is registered to Avia Jet LLC of Happy Valley, Oregon, and was consumed by a post-crash fire.

According to FAA pilot registration records, Dashiell held an ATP certificate with airplane and helicopter privileges, flight instructor and multi-engine airplane ratings, and was typed in several jets, including the Citation 500 series. His pilot certificate also required wearing corrective lenses. The NTSB will investigate the accident. At press time, online court records did not list an attorney for Dashiell who could comment on the allegation against him.