Crash of Pinnacle Airlines Flight 3701 Bombardier CL-600-2B19

173 Pages·2007·1.73 MB·English

Crash of Pinnacle Airlines Flight 3701
Bombardier CL-600-2B19, N8396A
Jefferson City, Missouri
October 14, 2004
aviation
ACCIDENT REPORT
NTSB/AAR-07/01
PB2007-910402

Aircraft Accident Report
Crash of Pinnacle Airlines Flight 3701
Bombardier CL-600-2B19, N8396A
Jefferson City, Missouri
October 14, 2004
ATION AL TRE PLUARIBUNS UNUSM PORTATIO
NTSB/AAR-07/01 NS AFETYBO AR DN
PB2007-910402 National Transportation Safety Board
Notation 7695E 490 L’Enfant Plaza, S.W.
Adopted January 9, 2007 Washington, D.C. 20594
National Transportation Safety Board. 2007. Crash of Pinnacle Airlines Flight 3701, Bombardier
CL-600-2B19, N8396A, Jefferson City, Missouri, October 14, 2004. Aircraft Accident Report
NTSB/AAR-07/01. Washington, DC.
Abstract: This report explains the accident involving a Bombardier CL-600-2B19, N8396A, which
crashed into a residential area about 2.5 miles south of Jefferson City Memorial Airport, Jefferson
City, Missouri. During the flight, both engines flamed out after a pilot-induced aerodynamic stall
and were unable to be restarted. Safety issues discussed in this report focus on flight crew training
in the areas of high altitude climbs, stall recognition and recovery, and double engine failures;
flight crew professionalism; and the quality of some parameters recorded by flight data recorders
on regional jet airplanes.
The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent Federal agency dedicated to promoting aviation, railroad, highway, marine,
pipeline, and hazardous materials safety. Established in 1967, the agency is mandated by Congress through the Independent Safety Board
Act of 1974 to investigate transportation accidents, determine the probable causes of the accidents, issue safety recommendations, study
transportation safety issues, and evaluate the safety effectiveness of government agencies involved in transportation. The Safety Board
makes public its actions and decisions through accident reports, safety studies, special investigation reports, safety recommendations, and
statistical reviews.
Recent publications are available in their entirety on the Web at <http://www.ntsb.gov>. Other information about available publications also
may be obtained from the Web site or by contacting:
National Transportation Safety Board
Public Inquiries Section, RE-51
490 L’Enfant Plaza, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20594
[phone] or [phone]
Safety Board publications may be purchased, by individual copy or by subscription, from the National Technical Information Service. To
purchase this publication, order report number PB2007-910402 from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, Virginia 22161
[phone] or [phone]
The Independent Safety Board Act, as codified at 49 U.S.C. Section 1154(b), precludes the admission into evidence or use of Board reports
related to an incident or accident in a civil action for damages resulting from a matter mentioned in the report.
iii Aircraft Accident Report
Contents
Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vii
Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x
1.Factual Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 History of Flight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 Injuries to Persons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.3 Damage to Airplane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.4 Other Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.5 Personnel Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.5.1 The Captain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.5.1.1 Pilot and Simulator Instructor Interviews Regarding the Captain . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.5.2 The First Officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.5.2.1 Pilot and Simulator Instructor Interviews Regarding the First Officer . . . . . . . . 10
1.6 Airplane Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.6.1 Powerplants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
1.6.2 Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
1.6.3 Maintenance Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.7 Meteorological Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.8 Aids to Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
1.9 Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
1.10 Airport Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
1.10.1 Air Traffic Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
1.11 Flight Recorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
1.11.1 Cockpit Voice Recorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
1.11.2 Flight Data Recorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
1.12 Wreckage and Impact Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
1.12.1 Powerplants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
1.12.2 Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
1.13 Medical and Pathological Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
1.14 Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
1.15 Survival Aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
1.16 Tests and Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
1.16.1 Aircraft Performance Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
1.16.1.1 Climb to 41,000 Feet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
1.16.1.2 Aerodynamic Stall and Upset Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
1.16.1.3 Descent and Glide Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
1.16.2 Cockpit Voice Recorder Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
1.16.3 Engine Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
1.16.4 Load Control Valve Simulation Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
1.17 Organizational and Management Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
1.17.1 Ground School and Simulator Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Contents iv Aircraft Accident Report
1.17.1.1 Upset Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
1.17.1.2 High Altitude Climbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
1.17.1.3 Double Engine Failure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
1.17.1.4 Stall Recognition and Recovery Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
1.17.1.5 Crew Resource Management Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
1.17.1.6 Leadership Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
1.17.2 Flight Manuals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
1.17.2.1 High Altitude Climbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
1.17.2.2 Double Engine Failure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
1.17.2.3 Stall Protection System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
1.17.2.4 Flight Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
1.17.3 Federal Aviation Administration Oversight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
1.18 Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
1.18.1 Oxygen Mask Use During the Accident Flight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
1.18.2 Core Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
1.18.3 Previous Related Safety Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
1.18.3.1 Core Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
1.18.3.2 Crew Professionalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
1.18.3.3 Flight Data Recorder Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
1.18.4 Federal Aviation Administration Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
1.18.5 Bombardier All Operator Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
2. Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
2.1 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
2.2 Accident Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
2.2.1 Climb to 41,000 Feet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
2.2.2 Aerodynamic Stall and Upset Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
2.2.3 Double Engine Failure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
2.2.3.1 Performance of the Double Engine Failure Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
2.2.4 Communications With Air Traffic Controllers
and Management of Forced Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
2.2.5 Accident Sequence Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
2.3 Flight Crew Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
2.3.1 High Altitude Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
2.3.2 Stall Recognition and Recovery Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
2.3.3 Double Engine Failure Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
2.4 Flight Crew Professionalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
2.4.1 Part 91 Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
2.4.2 Industrywide Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
2.4.2.1 Pilot Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
2.4.2.2 Operator Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
2.5 Quality of Flight Data Recorder Data for Regional Jet Airplanes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
3.Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
3.1 Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
3.2 Probable Cause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Contents v Aircraft Accident Report
4. Safety Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
4.1 New Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
4.2 Previously Issued Recommendation Reiterated and Classified in This Report . . . . . . . 75
4.3 Previously Issued Recommendations Resulting From This Accident Investigation . . . 76
5.Appendixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
A: Investigation and Hearing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
B: Cockpit Voice Recorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
C: Pinnacle Airlines’ Double Engine Failure Checklist
at the Time of the Accident. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
D: Pinnacle Airlines’ Revised Double Engine Failure Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
E: Core Lock Safety Recommendation Letter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
vi AircraftAccidentReport
Figures
1. Components in the CRJ Pneumatic Supply and Start Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2. Glide Distances for the Accident Airplane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
vii AircraftAccidentReport
Abbreviations
a.c. alternating current
AC advisory circular
AD airworthiness directive
ADG air-driven generator
AIRMET airman’s meteorological information
AIZ Lee C. Fine Memorial Airport, Kaiser Lake Ozark, Missouri
ALPA Air Line Pilots Association
AND airplane nose down
ANU airplane nose up
AOA angle of attack
APU auxiliary power unit
ARTCC air route traffic control center
ASAP Aviation Safety Action Program
ASOS automated surface observing system
ATC air traffic control
ATOS Air Transportation Oversight System
ATS air turbine starter
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
cg center of gravity
CRJ Canadair regional jet
CRM crew resource management
CVR cockpit voice recorder
DTW Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Detroit, Michigan
EICAS engine indicating and crew alerting system
FAA Federal Aviation Administration
FCOM flight crew operating manual
Abbreviations viii AircraftAccidentReport
FDR flight data recorder
FMS flight management system
FOQA flight operational quality assurance
fpm feet per minute
FSDO flight standards district office
GAO Government Accountability Office
GE General Electric
GPWS ground proximity warning system
Hg mercury
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization
ILS instrument landing system
ISA International Standard Atmosphere
JEF Jefferson City Memorial Airport, Jefferson City, Missouri
KIAS knots indicated airspeed
LBO Floyd W. Jones Lebanon Airport, Lebanon, Missouri
LCV load control valve
LIT Little Rock National Airport, Little Rock, Arkansas
LOSA Line Operations Safety Audit
METAR meteorological aerodrome report
msl mean sea level
MSP Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Minneapolis, Minnesota
N1 engine fan speed
N2 engine core speed
NWS National Weather Service
POI principal operations inspector
SB service bulletin
SGF Springfield-Branson Regional Airport, Springfield, Missouri
SMS safety management system
S/N serial number