Canadair CL-600-2B16 incident near San Antonio, Texas, August 17, 1993
On August 17, 1993 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Canadair CL-600-2B16, registered N392PT, was involved in an incident near San Antonio, Texas. It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FRACTURE OF THE RUDDER QUADRANT DUE TO STRESS CORROSION. A FACTOR WAS THE MANUFACTURER'S IMPROPER SELECTION OF MATERIAL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 1993 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Canadair CL-600-2B16 CL-600-2B1 · all CL-600-2B16s on the register
- Registration
- N392PT · registry record · serial 5110
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CREW EXPERIENCED AN UNCOMMANDED YAW TO THE RIGHT WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT FL410 WITH THE AUTO PILOT ENGAGED. A NORMAL LANDING WAS MADE WITHOUT INCIDENT AT THE INTENDED DESTINATION. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S RUDDER CONTROL REVEALED THAT THE SHAFT PORTION OF THE RUDDER QUADRANT WAS FRACTURED. METALLURGICAL EVALUATION OF THE FRACTURED SURFACE REVEALED THAT THE SEPARATION OF THE SHAFT PORTION WAS THE RESULT OF STRESS CORROSION CRACKING THAT INITIATED FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SHAFT AND PROGRESSED INWARD UNTIL ABOUT 60% OF THE SHAFT CROSS SECTION CRACKED DUE TO POOR CHOICE OF MATERIAL, IMPROPER RADIUS, AND EXCESSIVE TORQUE ON THE SHAFT NUT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 434 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 9, 1993; 120 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 45,100 lb
- Seats: 13
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF34-3A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ALN Alton MO at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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 N392PT 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.