Canadair CL-604 Challenger crash, Oct 10, 2000 (3 killed)
Canadair CL-604 Challenger accident on October 10, 2000 near Wichita-Dwight D. Eisenhower (Mid-Continent), Kansas, United States with 3 fatalities....
- Date: October 10, 2000
- Aircraft: Canadair CL-604 Challenger
- Location: Wichita-Dwight D. Eisenhower (Mid-Continent), Kansas, United States
- Fatalities: 3
- Phase of flight: Takeoff and climb
- Cause: Excessive takeoff rotation during an aft centre of gravity takeoff, with fuel migration moving the centre of gravity past its aft limit. Bombardier's test flight planning and insufficient regulator oversight were contributing factors.
A Canadair Challenger test flight from Wichita was taking off with the centre of gravity at the aft limit. Fuel shifted rearward during the takeoff roll, the pitch rotation was excessive, and the aircraft stalled too low to recover. The pilot and flight test engineer were killed, and the copilot died 36 days later.