Incident Overview

Date: Sunday 23 February 2020
Aircraft Type: Bombardier CL-600-2B16 Challenger 605
Owner/operator: Canadian Pacific Railway Company
Registration Number: C-GKCP
Location: Calgary International Airport, AB (YYC) – ÿ Canada
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Substantial, repaired
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 13
Component Affected: Control Column and Thrust ReverversControl Column and Thrust Reververs
Investigating Agency: TSBTSB
Category: Accident
A Bombardier Challenger 605 aircraft experienced a significant incident during a flight from Palm Beach International Airport to Calgary International, resulting in a loss of control and damage to the aircraft and runway. The flight crew initiated a flaps fail caution procedure due to a flap malfunction, leading to an immediate abandonment of the approach and subsequent troubleshooting. A critical failure in the flap drive shaft, coupled with an underestimation of aircraft utilization, contributed to the structural damage. Furthermore, inadequate pilot training regarding zero-flap handling and a lack of attention to critical safety procedures resulted in a dangerous situation. The activation of control column pressure and thrust reverser deployment exacerbated the issue, ultimately leading to a nose high attitude, runway impact, and a partial weight-off-wheels state.A Bombardier Challenger 605 aircraft experienced a significant incident during a flight from Palm Beach International Airport to Calgary International, resulting in a loss of control and damage to the aircraft and runway. The flight crew initiated a flaps fail caution procedure due to a flap malfunction, leading to an immediate abandonment of the approach and subsequent troubleshooting. A critical failure in the flap drive shaft, coupled with an underestimation of aircraft utilization, contributed to the structural damage. Furthermore, inadequate pilot training regarding zero-flap handling and a lack of attention to critical safety procedures resulted in a dangerous situation. The activation of control column pressure and thrust reverser deployment exacerbated the issue, ultimately leading to a nose high attitude, runway impact, and a partial weight-off-wheels state.

Description

A privately registered Bombardier Challenger 605, was conducting a flight from Palm Beach International Airport, Florida USA (KPBI) to Calgary Intl., AB (CYYC), with three crew members and 10 passengers on board. During the final descent into CYYC, the flight crew selected flaps 20 and immediately received a flaps fail caution message. The decision was made to abandon the approach, and the crew received clearance from ATC to proceed NW of the CYYC airport and troubleshoot the issue. The crew executed the applicable QRH procedure and subsequently received clearance from ATC to proceed with the landing. A flaps 0 landing was then executed. During the landing roll, after ground spoiler and thrust reverser deployment, the nose of the aircraft attained a significant nose high attitude. The rear fuselage of the aircraft struck the runway, and during the recovery, the nose landing gear subsequently impacted the runway. The aircraft taxied clear of the runway and to the intended parking area. Subsequent inspection revealed that the aircraft sustained significant structural damage to the forward fuselage and minor damage to the rear fuselage. There were no injuries. Findings as to causes and contributing factors 1. Moisture entered the flap flexible drive shaft casing, likely through the undetected puncture holes and the drive shaft casing to flap actuator interface, which led to the subsequent corrosion and failure of the inner drive shaft. 2. As the occurrence aircraft’s actual annual utilization was approximately half of that expected by the manufacturer, the calendar time interval between maintenance inspections increased. As a result, the corrosion that developed was not detected because the shaft had not yet reached the 2400 flight-hour maintenance interval. 3. The Challenger 605 flight simulator used for recurrent training did not accurately represent the zero-flap handling characteristics of the aircraft when the thrust reversers are deployed, nor was it required for certification. As a result, the flight crew was inadequately prepared to prevent, or recover from, the nose pitch-up that occurred when the thrust reversers were deployed. 4. The pilot monitoring did not read the cautions included on the flaps fail checklist out loud to the pilot flying during the completion of the Quick Reference Handbook procedure. As a result, information critical to the safe operation of the aircraft was not brought to the pilot flying’s attention. 5. Insufficient pressure was applied to the control column to maintain the nose on the runway while using maximum reverse thrust; as a result, the nose pitched up, the aft fuselage contacted the runway, and the aircraft transitioned to a partial weight-off-wheels state. 6. When the left main wheel left the runway surface and the angle of attack reached 28.9ø, the stick pusher activated and commanded a rapid nose-down pitch input. As a result of this rapid nose-down pitch, the forward section of the aircraft was damaged when the nose wheel contacted the runway.

Primary Cause

Insufficient pressure applied to the control column during the deployment of thrust reververs, leading to excessive nose pitch-up and subsequent runway impact.Insufficient pressure applied to the control column during the deployment of thrust reververs, leading to excessive nose pitch-up and subsequent runway impact.

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