NTSB BAC 040721 Factual
NTSB BAC 040721 Factual
National Transportation Safety Board NTSB ID: NYC04LA174 Aircraft Registration Number: N995CA
Location/Time
Nearest City/Place State Zip Code Local Time Time Zone
Snow Hill VA 23337 0815 EDT
According to the first officer (FO), while in cruise flight at flight level (FL) 290, the crew
received an audible traffic advisory (TA) alert from the traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS).
The multi-functional display depicted an aircraft at the 12-to 1-o'clock position, about 2,000
feet below, and climbing about 500 feet per minute. As the conflicting aircraft reached
approximately 1,400 feet below the CL-600, the first officer visually observed the airplane,
announced "traffic in sight, " and alerted the captain to the traffic.
At the same time as the captain instructed the FO to climb, the crew received an aural resolution
advisory (RA) warning to "CLIMB, CLIMB" from the TCAS. The FO then disconnected the autopilot and
initiated a climb, while advancing the thrust levers. The captain continued his instruction to
climb and the vertical speed indicator displayed a rate of ascent of 1,500 feet per minute.
The captain then announced he was taking the controls and proceeded to pitch the airplane at a
greater angle. Once the TCAS announced, "clear of conflict," the captain leveled the airplane at
30,000 feet. He then returned the controls to the FO, and the airplane was descended back to FL
290.
After the airplane was level, the captain was informed that the flight attendant was hurt. The
flight continued to JFK, where the flight crew requested that paramedics meet the flight to assess
the flight attendant's injury.
According to the flight attendant, she was performing a walk-through of the cabin, when she "felt
pressure on herself, " and fell to the floor. Two jumpseating passengers in the cabin assisted
her to a seat, and retrieved ice for her ankle. After landing, she was transported to an urgent
care facility, and diagnosed with a broken ankle.
A review of radar data and air traffic control information provided by the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), revealed that the Comair flight was climbing at a rate of 2,500 feet per
minute and an airspeed of 483 knots. The airplane which caused the traffic alert for the Comair
crew was an MD-80, which was climbing at 2,000 feet per minute, and an airspeed of 433 knots. The
closest proximity between the two aircraft was 1.54 nautical miles and 1,500 feet.
Narrative (Continued)
According to the Comair CL-600 Flight Standards Manual, "the correct response to a corrective RA is
to fly from the red zone into the green zone. This maneuver requires a response within 5 seconds
of the advisory using approximately a 0.25g maneuver. Listed below [is one] possible corrective RA
aural warning:
- 'CLIMB, CLIMB,' - Climb at the rate shown on the VSI, normally 1,500 FPM."
A performance review of the radar data revealed the flight crew response to the TCAS alert included
a 1000-foot climb, followed immediately by a descent back to the airplane’s assigned altitude. The
entire maneuver lasted about a minute and a half. While the nature of the radar data that tracked
the flight did not allow the load factors in the cabin to be computed with certainty, the maneuver
described by the radar data could be performed using an initial 1.15 G pull-up to start the climb,
followed by a 0.05 push-over to arrest the climb and start the descent, followed by a 1.4 G pull-up
to level the airplane at the assigned altitude. In this sequence, the time between the 0.05 G
push-over and the 1.4 G level-off was about 5 seconds.
According to Comair training documents, flight crews receive initial TCAS training, during
simulator LOFTs. During recurrent training, TCAS training/demonstrations may be built into
specific LOFT scenarios.
Ft. MSL NA
Aircraft Information
Aircraft Manufacturer Model/Series Serial Number
Bombardier CL-600 7229
ELT Installed?/Type Yes / ELT Operated? No ELT Aided in Locating Accident Site? No
Owner/Operator Information
Registered Aircraft Owner Street Address
77 Comair Blvd
COMAIR INC City State Zip Code
Erlanger KY 41018
Street Address
Operator of Aircraft 77 Comair Blvd
City State Zip Code
COMAIR INC
Erlanger KY 41018
Operator Does Business As: COMAIR Operator Designator Code: COMA
- Type of U.S. Certificate(s) Held:
Air Carrier Operating Certificate(s): Flag Carrier/Domestic
Medical Cert.: Class 1 Medical Cert. Status: Without Waivers/Limitations Date of Last Medical Exam: 07/2004
Instruction Received
Last 24 Hours
Seatbelt Used? Yes Shoulder Harness Used? Yes Toxicology Performed? No Second Pilot? Yes
Flight Plan/Itinerary
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Departure Point State Airport Identifier Departure Time Time Zone
Type of Airspace:
Weather Information
Source of Wx Information:
Company
Weather Information
WOF ID Observation Time Time Zone WOF Elevation WOF Distance From Accident Site Direction From Accident Site
Accident Information
Aircraft Damage: None Aircraft Fire: None Aircraft Explosion None
First Pilot 1 1
Second Pilot 1 1
Student Pilot
Flight Instructor
Check Pilot
Flight Engineer
Cabin Attendants 1 1
Other Crew
Passengers 2 2
- TOTAL ABOARD - 1 4 5
Other Ground
- GRAND TOTAL - 1 4 5
Administrative Information
Investigator-In-Charge (IIC)
Jill M. Andrews
Robert Thorson
FAA/FSDO
Garden City, NY