The centre of gravity (CG) of the Bombardier Challenger 600 that overran the runway during an aborted take-off at Teterboro, New Jersey may have been well forward of the allowable limit, says the US National Transportation Safety Board in an update to its investigation of the 5 February crash.
The aircraft crashed into a warehouse and caught fire, seriously injuring the pilot, co-pilot and two people in cars, while the flight attendant and eight passengers had minor injuries. Icing conditions were "minimal to non-existent", says the NTSB.
After weighing the aircraft's recovered contents, the NTSB says that as configured – with full or nearly full fuel tanks and passenger load and minimum baggage – it could have had a CG well forward of the limit. Simulator tests based on trim settings and weight and balance show it would not rotate for take-off at the defined rotation speed.
Source: Flight International
