A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board indicates that a private jet that crashed in Maine in January remained on the ground eight minutes longer than recommended after deicing. The incident killed all six aboard during a snowstorm. Experts suggest ice contamination likely contributed to the loss of control.
On January 25, a Bombardier Challenger 600 private jet, owned by a Texas law firm, crashed shortly after takeoff from Bangor International Airport in Maine, killing four passengers and two pilots. The aircraft was en route from Houston to Paris, stopping in Bangor to refuel amid light snow, mild winds, and near-zero temperatures as a storm approached.
According to the NTSB's preliminary report released on Friday, the plane received deicing treatment starting at 7:27 p.m., but did not attempt takeoff until 7:44 p.m., exceeding the Federal Aviation Administration's recommended holdover time of nine minutes by eight minutes. The deicing process involves two chemicals: one to remove existing ice and another to prevent re-accumulation, critical for safe flight as ice on wings has caused numerous crashes.
The cockpit voice recorder captured the pilot stating it was “standard” to wait 14 to 18 minutes, with the copilot concurring, and that they would return for retreatment after 30 minutes. Aviation safety consultant John Cox remarked that this comment “makes me wonder if they actually ran the time,” noting the guidelines clearly limited the wait.
Former NTSB and FAA investigator Jeff Guzzetti stated, “There is no doubt in my mind that the loss of control at liftoff — which was accompanied with an aerodynamic stall warning and sudden right bank — was likely due to snow and ice contamination on the right wing.” He questioned the Texas-based crew's experience with cold weather operations.
The plane sat at the deicing pad for nearly five minutes restarting engines and waited almost four more minutes on the runway. Airport CCTV footage showed the aircraft impacting the ground upside down, followed by explosions and flames; the airport closed for several days. Snow accumulation reached about 9.5 inches (24 cm) afterward.
The victims included Houston lawyer Tara Arnold, 46; event planner Shawna Collins, 53, of Houston; chef Nick Mastrascusa, 43, and sommelier Shelby Kuyawa, 34, both of Hawaii; pilot Jacob Hosmer, 47, of Pearland, Texas; and copilot Jorden Reidel, 33, of Texas.
This model has seen prior icing-related incidents, including fatal crashes in 2002 in Birmingham, England, and Montrose, Colorado, leading to FAA rules on deicing inspections and Bombardier adding cold weather warnings to manuals. The NTSB will further examine crew experience, airport procedures, and deicing quality in its final report expected next year.
