Canadair CL-65 incident near Monterey, California, July 19, 2000
On July 19, 2000 at about 1:45 am local time, a Canadair CL-65, registered N97325, was involved in an incident near Monterey, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 23 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fatigue failure of the bell gear in the horizontal stabilizer trim actuator system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 2000 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Monterey, California · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 23 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Canadair CL-65
- Registration
- N97325 · no longer on the register · serial 7325
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While climbing through FL200, the autopilot pitch trim master caution warning light and the autopilot pitch trim nose down master caution warning light illuminated, and the trim froze at four units of trim. The autopilot was disengaged in accordance with AFM procedures to resolve the problem. The flight crew had to maintain about 2 inches of forward pressure on the flight control column to maintain level flight. The first officer reported that the stabilizer trim could be manually adjusted up and down, but at no point would the trim go below four units of trim. The Horizontal Stabilizer Trim Actuator (HSTA) and Motor Control Unit (MCU) were replaced, and the airplane underwent a series of diagnostic checks and a functional flight test with no mechanical anomalies noted. During removal of the HSTA and MCU a component was heard moving inside the HSTA. Teardown of the HSTA revealed that the Channel 1 bell gear had separated from its four mounting tabs. It was also noted that two of the main spur gear bolts had backed out, and were loose and out of position in the HSTA. The other two main spur gear bolts were finger-tight, but remained in place. SB 8396-27-02 was developed as a result of repeated bell gear failures, about 66 in the past 6 years. The SB called for replacement of the existing bell gear with a new stronger bell gear. SL 8396-27-01 resulted from repeated main spur gear bolts backing out in service. The main spur gear bolts now require Loctite be used with the new bolts and new torque values be applied to the bolts. Review of the operator's FAA approved Operating Specifications disclosed that compliance with manufacturers SB's and SL's is not mandatory.
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: 5,000 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 1,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 31, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,754 hours in all; 775 in this make and model; 167 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 1,593 as pilot in command; 1,155 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 21, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 53,000 lb
- Seats: 55
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF-34-3B1 (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRY Monterey CA at 1:20 am
- Destination: PHX Phoenix AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from FAT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 20 |
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 N97325 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.