Canadair CL-600-2B19 incident near Rockville, Virginia, November 17, 2002
On November 17, 2002 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Canadair CL-600-2B19, registered N868CA, was involved in an incident near Rockville, Virginia (Washington National Arpt airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 51 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The PIC's inadvertent encounter with turbulence while operating in an area of forecast occasional severe turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 2002 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rockville, Virginia · Washington National Arpt · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 51 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Canadair CL-600-2B19 · all CL-600-2B19s on the register
- Registration
- N868CA · no longer on the register · serial 7427
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 3 hours before takeoff, the dispatcher approved the flight release, which contained SIGMET Whiskey 8 for occasional severe turbulence from 14,000 feet to FL 280, and then went off duty. The turbulence box overlaid the departure airport and planned en route climb to altitude; however, the top of descent (TOD) and destination airport were clear of the turbulence. When the pilot printed the flight release, SIGMET Whiskey 8, had been replaced with SIGMET Whiskey 9. The turbulence box had moved east of the departure airport, and the TOD and destination airport remained clear of the turbulence box. The flight release also contained a single pilot report of severe turbulence from a Boeing 737 at FL 240, within the defined area of turbulence. Prior to departure, but after the flight release was signed by the pilot, the flight release was updated again, this time with SIGMET Whiskey 10. The turbulence box moved further east to cover the TOD and destination airport. Nearing his destination, the pilot was descended into the turbulence box defined by both SIGMET Whiskey 9 and Whiskey 10. These turbulences boxes ranged from Ottawa, Canada, to Florida, to Cleveland, Ohio. The pilot had turned on the seat belt sign, asked the flight attendant to be seated, and had already made an announcement for the passengers to remain seated as they were within 30 minutes of the destination airport. While descending through 17,800 feet, the flight encountered severe turbulence. The airplane was not equipped with ACARS. Flight crews were required to monitor dispatch frequency for updates, and encouraged to get weather updates en route. Weather updates were accomplished by direct radio contact between the dispatcher and pilots, or by the pilots accessing FAA facilities while en route. Although the operator had about 100 flights operating in the turbulence box, none were cancelled due to forecast turbulence, or reported to have encountered severe turbulence.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 230 in the last 90 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 9, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,300 hours in all; 650 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 1,600 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 16, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,127.8 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 6, 2002; 198.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 53,000 lb
- Seats: 54
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric CF-34-3A1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric CF-34-3A1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ATL Atlanta GA at 10:02 pm
- Destination: DCA Washington DC
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; scat at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.68 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from DCA, 75 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 48 |
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.