Canadair CL-600-2B19 incident near Appleton, Wisconsin, February 27, 2002
On February 27, 2002 at about 12:01 pm local time, a Canadair CL-600-2B19, registered N991CA, suffered minor damage in an incident near Appleton, Wisconsin (Outagamie County Regional airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 38 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The separation of the low pressure turbine module due to coke resulting in the blockage of the oil system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 2002 · about 12:01 pm local time
- Place
- Appleton, Wisconsin · Outagamie County Regional · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 38 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Canadair CL-600-2B19 · all CL-600-2B19s on the register
- Registration
- N991CA · registry record · serial 7216
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The scheduled commercial passenger flight returned to the departure airport after the number two engine's low pressure turbine module separated from the engine and departed the airplane while climbing through 3,000 mean sea level and 4 nautical miles from the airport. Examination of the B-sump forward scavenge screen revealed that the entire screen area was blocked with coke including several metallic flakes, the largest of which was 1/3 inch by 1/3 inch. The screen was also partially collapsed. An oil sample from the B-sump forward scavenge line was black and contained black particles. The B-sump aft scavenge screen was estimated to have been approximately 90 percent blocked and contained some metallic flakes. An oil sample from the B-sump aft scavenge line was black and contained black particles. The C-sump forward scavenge screen contained a block of about 75 percent with coke. The center portion of the screen was clear. The C-sump aft screen was 5 percent blocked. The oil filter contained black particles and black oil. The impending bypass button on the oil filter was popped.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,810 hours in all; 901 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 5,034 as pilot in command; 1,252 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 20, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,721 hours in all; 423 in this make and model; 161 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days; 1,045 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 22, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,018.4 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 13, 2002; 103.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 51,000 lb
- Seats: 54
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: General Electric CF34-3A1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Comair, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: ATW Appleton WI at 11:45 am
- Destination: CVG Covington KY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 29, 6,501 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 13,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 18°F (-8°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 am from ATW, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 35 |
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.