Bombardier CL-600-2B19 incident near Covington, Kentucky, January 3, 2001
On January 3, 2001 at about 1:32 pm local time, a Bombardier CL-600-2B19, registered N933CA, suffered minor damage in an incident near Covington, Kentucky. It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 46 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Missing exhaust nozzle bolts for undetermined reasons. A factor was inadequate maintenance inspection of the affected area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 3, 2001 · about 1:32 pm local time
- Place
- Covington, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 46 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bombardier CL-600-2B19 · all CL-600-2B19s on the register
- Registration
- N933CA · registry record · serial 7040
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During climbout, an airframe vibration developed. All gauges, readouts, synoptic pages, and airplane controls were normal. The crew contacted their maintenance base and attempted to troubleshoot the problem, but could not determine its cause. The vibration remained unchanged until the airplane leveled off at 7,000 feet during an approach. At that time, the crew felt a bump, then the vibration completely ceased. The airplane landed, and taxied to the gate without further incident. Post-flight inspection revealed that the number 1 exhaust fairing was missing, and that the left, aft fuselage had a dent. The 30 bolts that would have normally attached the exhaust nozzle assembly to the exhaust frame were all missing, "without a trace." Seven months earlier, the tailpipe was found loose. Ten bolts were replaced, and the rest were re-torqued. The last inspection on the airplane had been completed about 2 weeks earlier, 105 hours prior to the incident. Company personnel had previously found cracked bolts on exhaust flanges from other engines. Laboratory examination of used bolts from another engine revealed no anomalies. Engine shop buildup and shop exit manuals were subsequently revised to make the installation and torquing of exhaust nozzle bolts a required inspection item.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,298 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, December 15, 2000; 105 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 51,000 lb
- Seats: 53
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Ge CF34-3A1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Ge CF34-3A1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Comair INC
The flight
- Departed from: MSP Minneapolis MN
- Destination: CVG Covington KY
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 800 ft
- Temperature: 9°F (-13°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.38 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 pm from CVG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 43 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC01IA072.