British Aerospace BAE 146-200 incident near Denver, Colorado, May 1, 2000
On May 1, 2000, a British Aerospace BAE 146-200, registered CFBAO, was involved in an incident near Denver, Colorado. It was flown under foreign airline rules (Part 129). No one was hurt; 20 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The accumulation of ice on the supercharger exit guide vanes that reduced core engine airflow, resulting in a loss of power. Factors were the clouds and icing conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 2000
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 20 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- British Aerospace BAE 146-200 BAE 146-20 · all BAE 146-200s on the register
- Registration
- CFBAO · no longer on the register · serial E2111
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Power on the no. 1 engine 'rolled back' (dropped to flight idle) while the airplane was in IMC at FL 290. The operator reported considerable convective cloud and thunderstorm activity in the area, with cloud tops reaching FL500. When the flight descended to FL 260, power on nos. 2 and 4 engines also rolled back. As the airplane passed 12,500 feet msl, power returned to the three idling engines. The flight landed without further incident. The airplane was equipped with four unmodified Honeywell ALF502R engines. In certain temperature and moisture conditions, the engines become susceptible to ice accumulation on the supercharger exit guide vanes. This reduces core engine airflow, resulting in a loss of power. Early airworthiness directives prohibited flight in icing conditions above 26,000 feet and at an outside air temperature above -40 degrees C. SAT within 30 nm of thunderstorms. Some operators were granted waivers from these ADs. Recent airworthiness directives mandate certain engine modifications be made by December 2002. Newer models of the airplane feature redesigned engines.
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; multi-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,580 hours in all; 8,240 in this make and model; 129 in the last 90 days; 67 in the last 30 days; 16,470 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 28,649 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 11, 2000; 160 hours since
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming ALF502R (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Bc, LTD.
The flight
- Departed from: YWG Winnipeg at 10:30 pm
- Destination: DEN Denver CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 13,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 15 |
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.