Canadair CL600-2B16 accident near Wichita, Kansas, October 10, 2000
On October 10, 2000 at about 7:52 pm local time, a Canadair CL600-2B16, registered CFTBZ, was destroyed in an accident near Wichita, Kansas (Wichita Mid-Continent airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot’s excessive takeoff rotation, during an aft center of gravity (c.g.) takeoff, a rearward migration of fuel during acceleration and takeoff and consequent shift in the airplane’s aft c.g. to aft of the aft c.g. limit, which caused the airplane to stall at an altitude too low for recovery. Contributing to the accident were Bombardier’s inadequate flight planning procedures for the Challenger flight test program and the lack of direct, on-site operational oversight by Transport Canada and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 2000 · about 7:52 pm local time
- Place
- Wichita, Kansas · Wichita Mid-Continent · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Canadair CL600-2B16 · all CL600-2B16s on the register
- Registration
- CFTBZ · no longer on the register · serial 5991
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2004/AAB0401.pdf On October 10, 2000, at 1452 central daylight time, a Canadair Challenger CL-600-2B16 (CL-604) (Canadian registration C-FTBZ and operated by Bombardier Incorporated) was destroyed on impact with terrain and postimpact fire during initial climb from runway 19R at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport (ICT), Wichita, Kansas. The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as an experimental test flight. The pilot and flight test engineer were killed. The copilot was seriously injured and died 36 days later.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 6,159 hours in all; 96 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 29, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,541 hours in all; 88 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 6, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,226.8 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 21, 2000; 24.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 48,300 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: General Electric CF34-3B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ICT KS at 7:52 pm
- Destination: ICT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 19R, 10,301 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 180° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from ICT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | 1 |
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.