NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On January 5, 2014, at 1222 mountain standard time (MST), a Bombardier (formerly Canadair) CL-600-2B16 Challenger, N115WF, impacted the runway during landing land on Runway 15 at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport/Sardy Field (ASE), Aspen, Colorado. The copilot was fatally injured; the captain and the passenger received serious injuries. The airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to the Bank of Utah Trustee and operated by Vineland Corporation Company, Panama, South America under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The flight originated from the Tucson International Airport (TUS), Tucson, Arizona, at 1004.

The departure and en route portions of the flight were uneventful. As the flight neared ASE, air traffic control (ATC) provided vectors to the localizer/distance measuring equipment (LOC/DME) approach to runway 15 at ASE. At 1210:04, the local controller at the ASE air traffic control tower (ATCT) informed the flight crew that the wind was from 290º at 19 knots (kts), with gusts to 25 kts. At 1211:18, the crew reported that they were executing a missed approach and then requested vectors for a second attempt. ATC vectored the airplane for a second LOC/DME-E approach. At 1220:35, the local controller informed the flight crew that the wind was from 330° at 16 kts and the 1-minute average wind was from 320° at 14 kts gusting to 25 knots. He then cleared the flight to land. For further information about the communications between ATC and the flight crew during the first approach and the accident approach, see the Communications section of this report.

Airport surveillance video of the runway showed the airplane landing at ASE. The following sequence of events was seen in the video: the airplane above the runway in a slightly nose-down attitude, a flash of light consistent with a runway strike, the airplane in the air above the runway in a nose-down attitude, and the airplane impacting the runway in a nose-down attitude and being engulfed in light. About 4 seconds elapsed between the runway strike and the final impact.

The airplane came to rest inverted on the west side of runway 15, halfway between taxiways A5 and A6. The ASE airport operations and aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) station was located on the west side of runway 15, about 0.3 miles north of the accident site. ASE ARFF had witnessed the accident occurring and responded immediately, requesting clearance onto the runway about 50 seconds after the accident occurred.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The captain, age 52, was a citizen of Mexico. He held a Mexican air transport pilot certificate that included an Airbus-320 type rating and ratings for airplane multi-engine land and instrument airplane. The captain also held a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporary airman certificate issued on November 9, 2013. The temporary commercial pilot certificate included a CL-600 type rating and ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multi-engine land rating, and instrument airplane. The certificate was subject to a limitation for English proficiency. Upon FAA review of the pilot's temporary certificate after the accident, it was determined that a limitation on the pilot acting as pilot-in-command for the CL-600 should have been included on the temporary certificate; however, the limitation had been overlooked by the designated pilot examiner who issued the certificate. The limitation would have restricted the captain from serving as pilot-in-command in the CL-600 airplane with revenue passengers on board until he had acquired 25 hours of actual flight time in the CL-600 with another qualified pilot.

The captain was issued a first-class airman medical certificate on August 27, 2013, with the limitation: must have available glasses for near vision.

On November 8, 2013, the captain completed training for the CL-600 type rating at Simuflight in Dallas, Texas. According to the training records, the pilot received a "satisfactory" rating at the completion of the training checkride. During post-accident interviews, the captain stated that he did not have any trouble during his flight training other than with use of the flight management system (FMS). His flight experience in CL-601 airplanes at the time of the accident consisted of a ferry flight from Dallas, Texas, to Toluca, Mexico and a flight from Toluca, Mexico, to Eagle County Airport, Colorado, and back to Toluca, Mexico. He stated that his total flight time in the CL-601 was 12 to 14 hours, which included his flight training at Simuflight. He explained that he had accrued 8,000 hours flying the Airbus 318, 319, and 320 before flying the CL-601 and had about 17,000 hours of total flight time. The Airbus time reported was completed under his Mexican Flight Certificate and did not transfer to his FAA issued certificate.

The copilot, age 54, was a citizen of Mexico. He held a Mexican air transport pilot certificate that included an Airbus-320 type rating and ratings for airplane multi-engine land and instrument airplane. The copilot also held an FAA temporary airman certificate issued on November 14, 2013. The temporary commercial pilot certificate included a CL-600 type rating and ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multi-engine land and instrument airplane. The certificate was subject to a pilot-in-command limitation for the CL-600. This limitation restricted the copilot from serving as pilot-in-command in the CL-600 airplane with revenue passengers on board until he had accrued 25 hours of actual flight time in the CL-600 with another qualified pilot. The certificate was also subject to a limitation for English proficiency.

A limited first class medical certificate was issued to the copilot on December 13, 2012, with the limitation: must have available glasses for near vision. A limited first class medical is valid for 6 months from the time of issuance for operations requiring a first class medical; it is valid for 12 months from the time of issuance for operations requiring a second class medical; and, after 12 months, it is valid only for operations requiring a third class medical. At the time of the accident, 13 months after the time of issuance, the copilot's medical certificate would have been equivalent to a third class medical certificate. The copilot reported on his most recent medical certificate application that he had accumulated 20,398 total flight hours, with 31 hours in the previous 6 months. The copilot's logbook was not located during the investigation. The flight time reported on the copilot's medical certificate application was completed under his Mexican pilot certificate and did not transfer to his FAA issued certificate.

On November 9, 2013, the copilot completed training for the CL-600 type rating at Simuflight in Dallas, Texas. According to the training records, the copilot received an "Unsatisfactory" rating at the completion of the training checkride. Records indicate the copilot did not satisfactorily complete two tasks under the "missed approach" approach skills, including "from a nonprecision approach" and "engine out." On November 14, 2013, the copilot was re-tested and received a "satisfactory" rating at the completion of the second training checkride.

The pilot-rated passenger, age 52, was a citizen of Mexico. The passenger also held an FAA, foreign-based commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and airplane multi-engine land ratings. No type rating for the CL-601 was included on the FAA- issued commercial certificate. The FAA certificate was issued on the basis of and only valid when accompanied by his Mexican pilot certificate. Additionally, the FAA certificate was not valid for the carriage of persons or property for compensation or hire or for agricultural aircraft operations. The passenger held a first class medical certificate issued on December 9, 2013, with the limitation: must have available glasses for near vision. According to the captain, the passenger was his and the copilot's friend. The captain also reported that the passenger was an experienced pilot on the CL-601 and was invited to join them on the trip to "provide any recommendations" because of the "special conditions" at ASE. The passenger was sitting in the flight deck jumpseat position.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane, a Bombardier (formerly Canadair) CL-600-2B16 Challenger 601-3R variant, was a twin-engine corporate jet (serial number 5153) manufactured in 1994. It was powered by two General Electric, CF34-3A1 turbofan engines rated at 9,000 foot-pounds of thrust. The airplane had an occupancy of 12 passengers and 2 crewmembers, with an additional jumpseat for a cabin crewmember.

According to the information provided by the captain, the most recent inspection on the airplane's approved aircraft inspection program was completed on December 18, 2013, at an airframe total time of 6,750 hours.

According to the Canadair Challenger Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) PSP 601A-1-1, Section 3(f) Tailwind Conditions under Operating Limitations states,

"the maximum tailwind component approved for take-off and landing is 10 kts."

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The observations for ASE indicated IFR conditions with light snow in the morning with visual flight rules (VFR) conditions prevailing at the time of the accident. Immediately before the airplane's arrival in the area, the wind speeds began to increase with gusts to 28 kts. The gusty winds lasted from 1153 to 1553, and northwesterly wind gusts of 25 kts or more were reported. The National Weather Service (NWS) Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) for ASE that was current at the time of the airplane's departure from TUS indicated that the wind at the airplane's estimated time of arrival into ASE would be from 340º at 11 kts with no gusts or low-level wind shear forecast.

The airport had a federally installed and maintained Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS) located east of the touchdown zone of runway 15. At 1153, the ASE automated ASOS reported the following weather conditions:

Wind from 310° true at 9 kts gusting to 28 kts, wind variable from 270° to 360º, visibility 9 miles in haze, a few clouds at 3,500 ft above ground level (agl), ceiling broken at 4,600 ft, overcast at 5,000 ft, temperature - 11° Celsius (C), dew point temperature -20° C, altimeter 30.07 inches of mercury (Hg). Remarks: automated surface observation system, peak wind from 320° at 28 kts occurred at 1150, sea level pressure 1024.3-hPa, temperature -11.1° C, dew point -20.0° C.

At 1220, the approximate time of the accident, the ASOS indicated:

Wind from 320° at 14 kts gusting to 25 kts, wind variable from 280° to 360°, visibility 10 miles in haze, scattered clouds at 4,700 ft agl, ceiling broken at 6,000 ft, temperature - 12° C, dew point temperature -21° C, altimeter 30.07 inches of Hg. The remarks indicated a peak wind from 320° at 26 kts occurred at 1204.

The ASE ASOS 1-minute data (which uses a 2-minute running average wind issued every minute) from 1218 to 1222 were:

TIME WIND GUST CROSS TAILWIND

1218 333° 15KT 345° 20KT 5KT 19KT

1219 323° 15KT 339° 22KT 0KT 22KT

1220 324° 14KT 324° 25KT 7KT 24KT

1221 333° 15KT 338° 22KT 1KT 22KT

1222 333° 14KT 328° 17KT 3KT 17KT Accident

An urgent pilot report (PIREP) over ASE at 1205 from a Learjet 35 flightcrew reported low-level wind shear with a 10 kt loss of airspeed on a 2-mile final to runway 15. It was undetermined if the accident airplane received this PIREP.

Several surrounding airports also reported strong gusting northwest winds during the period. Lake County Airport (LXV), Leadville, Colorado, located 25 miles east of ASE, reported IFR conditions in light to heavy snow with west-northwesterly winds gusting to 31 kts. Copper Mountain (CUU), Colorado, located 36 miles east of ASE reported westerly winds at 20 kts gusting to 46 kts during the period.

The NWS Grand Junction (GJT), Colorado, upper air sounding at 0500 depicted a shallow surface-based temperature inversion with light winds below 300 ft and northwesterly winds above that altitude with little variation in direction and increasing wind speeds. The mean wind was from 324° at 39 kts. The wind and temperature profile supported a light-to-moderate mountain wave formation with respect to updrafts, downdrafts, and turbulence potential.

COMMUNICATIONS

The following excerpt from the FAA ATC transcription details communications between the airplane's flight crew and ATC during the first approach and the accident approach.

The ASE ATCT began communication with the airplane at 1209:31, when the flight crew reported they were "nine miles out." The remainder of the communications were as follows:

1210:04 (ATCT) Wind 290 at 19, 1-minute average wind 320 at 12 gust 25, runway 15 cleared to land.

1210:15 (N115WF) Cleared to land, roger.

1210:38 (ATCT) Falcon just reported a gain of 20 kts, use caution for low level wind shear.

1210:45 (N115WF) Roger

1211:07 (ATCT) winds 310 at 10.

1211:18 (N115WF) Okay. Missed approach. 33 kts of tailwind.

1211:26 (ATCT) Execute publish missed.

1211:30 (N115WF) Okay.

1211:37 (ATCT) Climb and maintain 16,000, expedite your climb, execute published missed. 16,000 on the missed.

1211:45 (N115WF) Executing. Climbing to 16,000.

1212:38 (ATCT) Contact departure 123.8.

1212:50 (N115WF) 123.8.

N115WF contacted Aspen ATCT terminal control (approach) following the missed approach, as follows:

1212:53 (Approach) N115WF aspen departure, say intentions.

1213:03 (N115WF) Okay. We turn back and do another approach. We got a tailwind of 30 kts.

1213:10 (Approach) Roger. Fly heading 310, vector localizer DME echo approach.

1213:16 (N115WF) 310 and vectors again got localizer 15.

1213:42 (Approach) N115WF descend and maintain 13,400.

1213:44 (N115WF) 13,400.

1214:07 (Approach) N115WF fly heading 290.

1214:10 (N115WF) Now heading 290, 115WF.

1215:12 (Approach) N115WF turn right heading 020.

1215:18 (N115WF) 020 on the heading 115WF.

1215:32 (N115WF) Confirm 15WF 020 on the heading.

1215:36 (Approach) N115WF turn right heading 060 now.

1215:40 (N115WF) 060 now.

1216:56 (Approach) N115WF, 4 miles from jargu turn right heading 120 cross jargu at 13,400, cleared localizer DME echo approach.

1217:05 (N115WF) 120 on the heading to intercept localizer DME, 115WF.

1217:10 (Approach) and N115WF that's cleared localizer DME echo approach.

1217:15 (N115WF) localizer DME approach N115WF

1218:01 (Approach) N115WF contact tower.

1218:04 (N115WF) Contact tower.

N115WF contacted Aspen ATCT (local) for the second approach into ASE. This approach was the accident approach, with the following air traffic communications:

1218:37 (Local) N115WF Aspen tower.

1219:21 (Local) N115WF Aspen tower.

1219:24 (N115WF) Go ahead.

1219:26 (Local) Runway 15 continue for N115WF.

1219:28 (N115WF) We'll continue the 115WF.

1219:42 (Local) N115WF traffic 12 o'clock, 7 miles turning westbound 9,200 ft.

1219:47 (N115WF) IFR.

1220:08 (Local) N115WF traffic no factor. Disregard, no factor, westbound now.

1220:14 (N115WF) Roger 115WF. In IFR conditions now.

1220:35 (Local) N115WF winds 330 at 16, runway 15 cleared to land. 1-minute average 320 [at] 14 gust 25.

1220:45 (N115WF) Roger, 115WF.

1222:04 (Local) Go around, go around, go around, go around. [The accident occurred here. Emergency services were dispatched and ASE was closed.]

AIRPORT INFORMATION

Aspen-Pitkin County/Sardy Field is a certificated Part 139 airport, and the field elevation is 7,838 ft. It is a towered airport operating in Class-D airspace. The airport is equipped with one runway; runway 15/33 which is 8,006 ft in length and 100-ft wide. An aircraft rescue and firefighting station is located on the airfield

NTSB Probable Cause

The flight crew's failure to maintain airplane control during landing following an unstabilized approach. Contributing to the accident were the flight crew's decision to land with a tailwind above the airplane's operating limitations and their failure not to conduct a go-around when the approach became unstabilized.