Bombardier CL-600-2B19 N261PS

Summary

On 7 February 2013 at about 15:40 local time, a Bombardier CL-600-2B19 registered N261PS, operated by PSA Airlines, Inc., was involved in an incident near Bowman, Georgia, United States. 40 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 February 2013 at 15:40

Classification

Incident

Location

Bowman, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

34.2567, -82.9825

Aircraft

Bombardier CL-600-2B19

Registration

N261PS

Category

Airplane

Year built

2004

Engines

2

Operator

PSA Airlines, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Charlotte → Valparaiso

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

Unk

Light

Day

NTSB number

DCA13IA058

1 person had minor injuries.

the captain's inappropriate climb speed, his failure to monitor airspeed during the level off, and his inappropriate response to multiple stall warnings.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight had a normal takeoff and initial climb and then the was cleared by ATC to climb to flight level (FL) 340. The captain set an unsustainable vertical speed command in the autopilot during climb and intentionally allowed the airspeed to decrease well below the recommended climb speed. He did not check the minimum buffet boundary speed applicable to the flight and was not aware of company guidance cautioning against allowing the speed to decay during climbs to high altitude. He failed to monitor airspeed during level off at FL 340 and allowed it to fall to stick shaker speed. According to the performance study, after the stick shaker activated the crew moved the column forward but then pulled back again while the shaker was still active. The shaker stopped for about one second as the crew continued to pull back. The stick shaker reactivated followed about one second later by the stick pusher, which pitched the aircraft down. The crew then pulled back increasing the angle of attack (AOA) and reactivating the shaker and pusher, which began a cycle of stick pusher dynamics. The airplane performance study shows the crew applied back pressure, or "pulls," seven times in response to sick pusher activation before relaxing back pressure and allowing the airplane to descend. The captain's actions were contrary to the manufacturer's and company's stall recovery procedures, and the airplane regained stable flight only after AOA was reduced by allowing the airplane to descend.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.