Bombardier, Inc. CL-600-2B19 incident near Asheville, North Carolina, March 19, 2006
On March 19, 2006 at about 12:19 pm local time, a Bombardier, Inc. CL-600-2B19, registered N8783E, suffered minor damage in an incident near Asheville, North Carolina (Asheville Regional Airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 33 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper installation of the pilot's windshield by company maintenance personnel, which resulted in flame and smoke in the cockpit, and subsequent emergency landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 2006 · about 12:19 pm local time
- Place
- Asheville, North Carolina · Asheville Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 33 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bombardier, Inc. CL-600-2B19
- Registration
- N8783E · registry record · serial 7783
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the flight crew, while climbing through 17,000 feet, the captain smelled smoke. A few seconds later flames and smoke started shooting out of the lower left windshield. The captain believed it was the windshield heat unit. The first officer turned off the windshield heat and the flames went out, but the smoke persisted. The captain declared an emergency with air traffic controllers and returned to the Asheville Regional Airport. Examination of the windshield found that the overheat damage was the result of an improperly installed fastener that resulted in arcing between the terminal block lug, the aircraft wiring eyelet and the fastener and lock washer that secures the two components together. The arcing progressed over time degrading the solder junction between the terminal block and the windshield heating system braid wire that resulted in heat damage to the sealant and the subsequent flame.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,400 hours in all; 1,753 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,805 hours in all; 559 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,975 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 53,000 lb
- Seats: 48
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric CF34-3B1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric CF34-3B1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pinnacle Airlines, Inc
The flight
- Departed from: AVL Ashville NC at 12:09 pm
- Destination: CVG Covington KY
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 am from KAVL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 30 |
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.