Bombardier INC CL-600-2C10 accident near Peoria, Illinois, July 19, 2012
On July 19, 2012 at about 3:00 am local time, a Bombardier INC CL-600-2C10, registered N502AE, was involved in an accident during approach near Peoria, Illinois (General Downing-Peoria airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 56 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The emergency ground egress during which a passenger broke her ankle. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the environmental system, which allowed smoke from a nearby house fire to enter the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 2012 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Peoria, Illinois · General Downing-Peoria · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 56 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bombardier INC CL-600-2C10
- Registration
- N502AE · registry record · serial 10018
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on approach to the airport, the flight crew smelled smoke in the airplane. The airplane landed without incident and the crew directed an emergency ground egress. During the ground egress, one passenger broke her ankle. A postflight review of the airplane found that the airplane was operating on a single environmental pack that failed during the final approach, resulting in ambient air entering the airplane via the ram air inlet. An assessment of the airplane did not find any on-board sources of smoke. However, smoke from a large house fire was present along the airplane's approach path and likely was the source of smoke detected by the crew.
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 approach defining event
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during landing
- Evacuation
The NTSB's findings
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Air conditioning system › Cooling sys (air/vapor cycle) › Failure
- factor Environmental issues › Task environment › Physical workspace › Air quality/dust/smoke › Decision related to condition
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Passenger
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: 16,462 hours in all; 10,474 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 4, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: 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: 1,377 hours in all
- Last flight review: August 27, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 80
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Ge CF34 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Ge CF34 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Eagle Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: DEN Denver CO
- Destination: ORD Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 am from KPIA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 4 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 52 |
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.