Canadair LTD CL-600 Challenger incident near Denver, Colorado, September 21, 2012
On September 21, 2012 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Canadair LTD CL-600 Challenger, registered N125PS, was involved in an incident during enroute near Denver, Colorado (Denver International airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The internal failure of the galley heater mat’s thermostat, which resulted in an overheat condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 2012 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Denver International · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Canadair LTD CL-600 Challenger
- Registration
- N125PS · no longer on the register · serial 3058
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise flight, the pilots detected smoke emanating from the galley area. They diverted to an alternate airport and landed without incident. Examination of the airplane revealed that a contact pad inside the galley’s water heater assembly thermostat casing had come loose and wedged between the bimetallic strips, which allowed the heater mat to continue to operate and resulted in an overheat condition.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during enroute
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Equipment/furnishings › Buffet/galleys › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 22
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electrics CF34-1A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electrics CF34-1A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
- Operator: Worldwide Jet Charter LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Omaha NE
- Destination: Santa Monica CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35L, 12,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 020° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 22,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KDEN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N125PS the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.