Canadair CL600 accident near Augusta, Georgia, May 22, 2005
On May 22, 2005, a Canadair CL600, registered N699CW, was involved in an accident near Augusta, Georgia. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot-in-command's improper use of the flight controls during climb which resulted in the flight attendant injury. A factor was the flight crew failure to follow written procedures during transfer of flight controls.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 2005
- Place
- Augusta, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Canadair CL600 · all CL600s on the register
- Registration
- N699CW · no longer on the register · serial 5009
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The co-pilot was flying the airplane climbing to an assigned altitude. Air Traffic Control instructed the flight to expedite their climb through flight level 250.The co-pilot rotated the speed bug to 300 knots. The pilot-in-command (PIC) verbally instructed the co-pilot to, "get this thing climbing." At the same time the PIC pulled back on the control column and disconnected the autopilot and the nose of the airplane pitched up. The PIC did not establish a positive transfer of the flight controls as required by company standard operating procedures. The flight attendant was subsequently heard calling for help from the back of the airplane. The PIC departed the flight deck and found the flight attendant on the floor in the aft part of the cabin with serious injuries. The flight continued to the destination airport and landed without further incident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 18,400 hours in all; 2,567 in this make and model; 15,600 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,800 hours in all; 2,018 in this make and model; 3,800 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,956 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 1, 2005; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 45,100 lb
- Seats: 13
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: General Electric CF34-3A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight Options LLC
The flight
- Departed from: CHA Chattanooga TN at 1:26 am
- Destination: AGS Augusta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.