Bombardier CL-600-2B19 N868CA

Summary

On 17 November 2002 at about 23:00 local time, a Bombardier CL-600-2B19 registered N868CA was involved in an incident near Rockville, Virginia, United States. 51 people were on board and nobody was injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 November 2002 at 23:00

Classification

Incident

Location

Rockville, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Washington National Arpt (DCA)

Coordinates

37.7250, -77.7150

Aircraft

Bombardier CL-600-2B19

Registration

N868CA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Atlanta → Washington

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

NYC03IA027

Nobody was injured.

The PIC's inadvertent encounter with turbulence while operating in an area of forecast occasional severe turbulence.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

About 3 hours before takeoff, the dispatcher approved the flight release, which contained SIGMET Whiskey 8 for occasional severe turbulence from 14,000 feet to FL 280, and then went off duty. The turbulence box overlaid the departure airport and planned en route climb to altitude; however, the top of descent (TOD) and destination airport were clear of the turbulence. When the pilot printed the flight release, SIGMET Whiskey 8, had been replaced with SIGMET Whiskey 9. The turbulence box had moved east of the departure airport, and the TOD and destination airport remained clear of the turbulence box. The flight release also contained a single pilot report of severe turbulence from a Boeing 737 at FL 240, within the defined area of turbulence. Prior to departure, but after the flight release was signed by the pilot, the flight release was updated again, this time with SIGMET Whiskey 10. The turbulence box moved further east to cover the TOD and destination airport. Nearing his destination, the pilot was descended into the turbulence box defined by both SIGMET Whiskey 9 and Whiskey 10. These turbulences boxes ranged from Ottawa, Canada, to Florida, to Cleveland, Ohio. The pilot had turned on the seat belt sign, asked the flight attendant to be seated, and had already made an announcement for the passengers to remain seated as they were within 30 minutes of the destination airport. While descending through 17,800 feet, the flight encountered severe turbulence. The airplane was not equipped with ACARS. Flight crews were required to monitor dispatch frequency for updates, and encouraged to get weather updates en route. Weather updates were accomplished by direct radio contact between the dispatcher and pilots, or by the pilots accessing FAA facilities while en route. Although the operator had about 100 flights operating in the turbulence box, none were cancelled due to forecast turbulence, or reported to have encountered severe turbulence.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.