NTSB Didn’t Test Other Aircraft for Mistrim Problem

By Matt Thurber

AINalerts >> July 2008
Safety

In a safety recommendation issued last Thursday (A-08-48 and A-08-49), the NTSB raised concerns about mistrim rotation characteristics in the Bombardier Challenger, following the overrun accident of a Challenger on Feb. 2, 2005, at Teterboro (N.J.) Airport. Although the accident Challenger was loaded forward of the forward cg, the jet would have rotated beyond V2 speed, if the pilots had not aborted the takeoff, according to the NTSB, which recommended that pilots be trained to prevent mistrims and that the FAA revise certification advisory material to address mistrim-takeoff rotation delays. According to an NTSB spokesman, while investigators tested the mistrim scenario in a Challenger simulator, they did not do so in any other jets. The mistrim problem, he added, was studied well before the Teterboro accident by European regulators and addressed in NPA 25B-335, published for comment in 2002. “The relevant mistrim takeoff language [in the NPA] was developed on the basis of service experience with airplanes other than the [Challenger],” the spokesman said. “Consequently, simulator testing of additional aircraft was not necessary to support the Teterboro investigation or recommendations A-08-48 and A-08-49.”

Back

MedAire extends BBJ contract Tuesday 07. of October 2008 Remote medical care provider MedAire (Booth No. 1075) yesterday renewed its contract with Boeing Business Jets to supply medical services and... [more]
Runway analysis goes mobile Tuesday 07. of October 2008 The Aircraft Performance Group (Booth No. 4688) on Monday announced that its runway analysis program with weight-and-balance system will be... [more]
Baldwin Aviation expands SMS Tuesday 07. of October 2008 South Carolina-based Baldwin Aviation (Booth No. 3372) has expanded its Safety Management System (SMS) services with the introduction of its... [more]
Safety records of NBAA Part 91pilots are anything but accidents of fate Tuesday 07. of October 2008 The National Business Aviation Association presents Pilot Flying Safety Awards each year to the member company pilots with exemplary safety... [more]
Top performers credit safety culture for flight departments’ accident-free hours Tuesday 07. of October 2008 The NBAA Corporate Business Flying Safety Awards have been awarded to 235 companies, which have flown a total of 9,817,195 safe hours. The top... [more]