Canadair CL600 2B16 accident near Lubbock, Texas, August 8, 2019
On August 8, 2019 at about 8:47 pm local time, a 2018 Canadair CL600 2B16, registered N237QS, was involved in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Lubbock, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries; 7 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The unexpected wake turbulence encounter while climbing in smooth air to cruise, resulting in passenger injuries. Contributing to the accident was the passenger seat belt sign was off.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2019 · about 8:47 pm local time
- Place
- Lubbock, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries; 7 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Canadair CL600 2B16, built 2018 · all CL600 2B16s on the register
- Registration
- N237QS · registry record · serial 6127
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The business jet was climbing through flight level (FL) 335 to an assigned altitude of FL 340, when it suddenly encountered turbulence. The captain reported that the airplane was in smooth air when the turbulence was encountered. The passenger seat belt sign was off. Unsecured objects, passengers, and the flight attendant were thrown about the cabin, resulting in several minor injuries and one serious injury to a passenger. The captain stabilized the airplane and diverted to the nearest airport and landed. Flight data recorder (FDR) data recorded the event that lasted for about 11 seconds. At the time of the turbulence encounter, the airplane was between eight and ten miles in trail of a heavy transport airplane. The transport airplane was level at FL340 and on the same assigned route as the business jet. The flight crew of the business jet was not aware of the preceding heavy transport after the turbulence encounter. It is likely that the business jet encountered wake turbulence from the proceeding heavy transport airplane.
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
- Turbulence encounter during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Wake turbulence › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,630 hours in all; 298 in this make and model; 115 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 8, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,017 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 18, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Cabin Crew
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 874 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 27, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 48,200 lb
- Seats: 14
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric CF34-3B (turbofan); 874 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric CF34-3B (turbofan); 874 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DAL Dallas TX at 8:21 pm
- Destination: SNA Santa Ana CA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flig | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 | 5 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN19LA266.