Bombardier CL-600-2B19 incident near Phoenix, Arizona, June 14, 2003
On June 14, 2003, a Bombardier CL-600-2B19, registered N97325, was involved in an incident near Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 52 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the simultaneous failure of both horizontal stabilizer trim channels on two separate occasions for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 2003
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 52 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bombardier CL-600-2B19 · all CL-600-2B19s on the register
- Registration
- N97325 · no longer on the register · serial 97325
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was climbing through 23,000 feet for flight level 290 (29,000 feet) when the stab trim/mach trim caution illuminated on the instrument panel indicating both channels 1 and 2 were inoperative, and subsequently the pitch trim system could not be moved. The captain maintained the airplane's airspeed below 215 knots, and initiated a return to the departure airport. The flight crew took turns at the controls. To maintain the airplane in the proper attitude, the first officer had to maintain about 30 pounds of backpressure on the yolk to counteract the trim forces. The captain landed the airplane uneventfully. Maintenance crews believed the failure was in the captain's stab trim disconnect switch, which they suspected was stuck in the cutout position. The switch was replaced with another unit. A second stab trim failure event occurred 32 days later in the same airplane. The captain reported that during a descent from flight level 290, both channels of stab trim and mach trim failed with a corresponding "AP Pitch Trim" message. After about 2 minutes, the captain was able to reset both stab trim channels and then the mach trim. The airplane landed uneventfully. The maintenance crew removed and replaced the Horizontal Stabilizer Trim Control Unit (HSTCU) to correct the discrepancy. The airplane's flight data recorders (FDR's) were removed, and the data downloaded. The data revealed that 17 minutes into the flight on the first occurrence the stabilizer trim discrete changed from 'on' to 'off.' The data for the second occurrence revealed that 96 minutes into the flight the stabilizer trim discrete changed from 'on' to 'off' for about 2 minutes, and then back to 'on.' The stab trim disconnect switch and the HSTCU were tested, and both functioned within the manufacturer's specifications. Under physical examination it was noted that the HSTCU's access panel door cam-type fastener's shoulder guide was missing from one of the two door latching fittings. The shoulder half was located loose inside the HSTCU circuitry area of the unit. Engineers described the electrical circuit boards as having a heavy coat of protective/sealing varnish that would protect the circuits from shorts caused by debris. Additionally, each trim channel is on a separate circuit board in the HSTCU. The simultaneous failure of both trim channels due to a single piece of debris is unlikely. A search of the Federal Aviation Administration Service Difficulty Report (SDR) database for Stab Control System anomalies in the CL-600 from 1995 to July 10, 2003, identified 67 dual channel stab trim failures. Twenty-seven percent of the dual trim failures were identified as cockpit trim disconnect switch issues; 52 percent were identified as HSTCU/HSTA/MCU issues; and 21percent were not resolved or could not be duplicated on the ground. The airplane in question, serial number 7325, was not listed in the results as having any reported flight control discrepancies in the database.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,200 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 3,500 as pilot in command; 1,316 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 400 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 1,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,087.2 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 11, 2003; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 53,000 lb
- Seats: 53
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric CF34-3B1 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric GE-CF34-3B1 (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHX Phoenix AZ at 11:13 pm
- Destination: BOI Boise ID
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26, 11,489 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.75 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 49 |
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
2000-07-19LAX00IA272 · incident near Monterey, CA · no injuries
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.