FAA Prohibits Single-Pilot Operations in Eight Cessna Citation Models
In a significant safety measure effective from September 29, 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has officially prohibited single-pilot operations for eight models of older Cessna Citation business jets. This action concludes the exemptions that have been active since 1984.
The impacted aircraft comprise the Citation and Citation I (500), Citation II (550), Citation S/II (S550), Citation V and Ultra (560), Bravo (550), Encore and Encore+ (560), and the military T-47A variant. The FAA’s decision was influenced by prevalent noncompliance among training providers, with 13 out of 14 providers having their exemptions denied or revoked. Furthermore, concerning accident statistics reveal that single-pilot Citations crash at approximately twice the rate of those operated by two-pilot crews.
The FAA specifically mentioned the December 18, 2025 Citation 550 crash in Statesville, North Carolina, which resulted in eight fatalities, as a trigger for the review. Given that the policy covers around 1,250 U.S.-registered aircraft, owners and operators are now required to ensure the presence of a qualified second-in-command for all flights. Citations certified for single-pilot operation, such as the Mustang (510) and the CitationJet family (525), remain unaffected.
Business aviation groups have voiced concerns about the abruptness of the policy change and are requesting access to the safety data that justified it.
Source: Flying Magazine – FAA Pulls Citation Single-Pilot Authorization