Bombardier INC CL-600-2B19 incident near Bowman, Georgia, February 7, 2013
On February 7, 2013 at about 3:40 pm local time, a 2004 Bombardier INC CL-600-2B19, registered N261PS, suffered minor damage in an incident during enroute (cruise) near Bowman, Georgia. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person had minor injuries; 39 others were unhurt. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the captain's inappropriate climb speed, his failure to monitor airspeed during the level off, and his inappropriate response to multiple stall warnings.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 2013 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Bowman, Georgia · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 39 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Bombardier INC CL-600-2B19, built 2004
- Registration
- N261PS · no longer on the register · serial 7959
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight had a normal takeoff and initial climb and then the was cleared by ATC to climb to flight level (FL) 340. The captain set an unsustainable vertical speed command in the autopilot during climb and intentionally allowed the airspeed to decrease well below the recommended climb speed. He did not check the minimum buffet boundary speed applicable to the flight and was not aware of company guidance cautioning against allowing the speed to decay during climbs to high altitude. He failed to monitor airspeed during level off at FL 340 and allowed it to fall to stick shaker speed. According to the performance study, after the stick shaker activated the crew moved the column forward but then pulled back again while the shaker was still active. The shaker stopped for about one second as the crew continued to pull back. The stick shaker reactivated followed about one second later by the stick pusher, which pitched the aircraft down. The crew then pulled back increasing the angle of attack (AOA) and reactivating the shaker and pusher, which began a cycle of stick pusher dynamics. The airplane performance study shows the crew applied back pressure, or "pulls," seven times in response to sick pusher activation before relaxing back pressure and allowing the airplane to descend. The captain's actions were contrary to the manufacturer's and company's stall recovery procedures, and the airplane regained stable flight only after AOA was reduced by allowing the airplane to descend.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Last flight review: October 26, 2012
- 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: 9,197 hours in all; 4,892 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 28, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 21,292 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 27, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 53,250 lb
- Seats: 40
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Ge CF34 SERIES (turbofan); 19,867 hours total
- Engine 2: Ge CF34 SERIES (turbofan); 20,218 hours total
- Operator: Psa Airlines, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: CLT Charlotte NC
- Destination: VPS Valparaiso FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 37 |
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 N261PS 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.