N17QC 2016 Cessna Citation CJ3+

Tail N17QC Overview

N17QC is a 2016 Cessna 525B Citation CJ3+, MSN 525B0509, registered to Oncourse Air LLC and operated commercially by Buffalo River Aviation. The airframe is a CJ3+ specification example, fitted with two Williams International FJ44-3A turbofan engines and a Garmin G3000 flight deck in single- or two-pilot configuration. The aircraft's mission set is regional business travel (single-leg range ~2,040 nm), short-field operations and rapid point-to-point transport for up to eight passengers. In June 2025 N17QC was involved in a runway excursion/aborted takeoff event at Hugo, OK; there were no reported fatalities and the event prompted local investigation. Ownership records show original delivery in late 2016 and a change of ownership to Oncourse Air LLC in 2020. Routine equipment on CJ3+ examples includes an enclosed aft lavatory, refreshment center and a ~65 cu ft baggage bay; specific cabin fit for N17QC is operator-configured. The aircraft benefits from the CJ3+ performance envelope, max cruise ~416 kt, service ceiling 45,000 ft, and NBAA-range capability around 2,000+ nm, making it competitive for regional to transcontinental missions with limited stops.

Operations & Configuration

N17QC typically operates in managed charter/aircraft-management service; the listed operator is Buffalo River Aviation while the registered owner is Oncourse Air LLC (Rogers, AR). The CJ3+ cabin is commonly arranged in a 6-8 place executive layout (four-place club plus forward/rear seats, belted lav option) and N17QC is reported with Garmin G3000 avionics and modern cabin management features; Wi-Fi and ADS-B are standard operator-fitted options. Engines are Williams FJ44-3A units rated ~2,820 lbf each, supporting high climb rates and efficient cruise. Typical mission profiles are city-pair business hops, overnight repositioning, and quick regional charters; single-pilot operation is possible on certain configurations but many operators assign two pilots. Operational considerations after the June 2025 runway excursion include inspection status and any maintenance/airworthiness actions recorded with the registry and operator.

Model Context

The Citation CJ3+ (525B) is an evolution of the CJ3 with an integrated Garmin G3000 flight deck and cabin refresh introduced in the mid-2010s; it retained the CJ3 airframe while improving pilot interface and passenger amenities. The type is known for short-field performance, low operating costs in the light-jet class, and high dispatch reliability, placing it against light-cabin competitors from Embraer and HondaJet in broker/charter markets. Production deliveries for 525B-series airframes continued into the late 2010s; buyers favor the CJ3+ for its balanced payload-range and single- or two-pilot flexibility.