# NTSB CEN12IA662: Canadair CL-600 Challenger, N125PS, Denver, CO, September 21, 2012 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: September 21, 2012, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Denver, CO - Coordinates: 39.856666, -104.674446 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8567&lon=-104.6744&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 10 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 13, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 85169 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN12IA662 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/85169/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85169 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12IA662 ## Probable cause The internal failure of the galley heater mat’s thermostat, which resulted in an overheat condition. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Equipment/furnishings: buffet/galleys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022530): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Canadair CL-600-2A12, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022530/cases.md?model=1900304), [All aircraft, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022530/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330); cases with it: [Canadair CL-600-2A12, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=1900304), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150) (defining event); cases with it: [Canadair CL-600-2A12, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md?model=1900304), [All aircraft, 504 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md) ## Analysis While in cruise flight, the pilots detected smoke emanating from the galley area. They diverted to an alternate airport and landed without incident. Examination of the airplane revealed that a contact pad inside the galley’s water heater assembly thermostat casing had come loose and wedged between the bimetallic strips, which allowed the heater mat to continue to operate and resulted in an overheat condition. ## Factual narrative On September 21, 2012, about 1430 mountain daylight time, a Canadair Ltd. CL-600 Challenger business jet N125PS, performed an emergency landing at the Denver International Airport due to smoke and fumes in the airplane. The two airline transport pilots, one crew member, and seven passengers were not injured. There was no reported damage to the airplane. The airplane was registered to Joda LLC, Chesterfield, Missouri, and operated by Worldwide Jet Charter LLC, Millville, New Jersey, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 as an on-demand air taxi. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an instrument flight rule flight plan. The flight originated from Omaha, Nebraska, and was en route to Santa Monica, California. According to statements obtained by the Federal Aviation Administration, while en route to their destination, a crew member detected smoke near the galley area of the airplane. The flight crew elected to divert the flight and landed without incident. Upon landing, the crew ordered an emergency evacuation of the airplane. The airplane’s operator, Worldwide Jet Charter, did not provide an NTSB Form 6120 as requested by the NTSB investigator-in-charge. The airplane was equipped with a KC Aviation Custom Designed Water Heater, part number 444-0007, serial number 3058. The heater mat assembly was removed and sent to Bombardier, Montreal, Canada, for further examination. The assembly was examined by Bombardier under the auspices of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. The exam revealed evidence of a loose contact pad from its original position inside of the thermostat. This allowed the pad to move within the thermostat casing. The pad was wedged itself between bimetallic strips which would keep the heating mat operating in the on position. This incident was similar to at least two other instances of heater mat overheats. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N125PS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N125PS-2019-11-29), registration cancelled 2019-11-29, S/N 3058 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CANADAIR LTD CL-600 Challenger - Registry model: [Canadair CL-600-2A12](https://openairdocs.org/model/canadair-cl-600-2a12) (registry code 1900304) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [GE CF-34-1A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/ge-cf-34-1a) (registry code 30033, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 3058 - Engines: General Electrics CF34-1A 8650 lbs thrust turbo fan; General Electrics CF34-1A 8650 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Fire: Unknown - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Worldwide Jet Charter LLC, doing business as Worldwide Jet Charter LLC - Registered owner: Joda LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: Omaha, NE - Destination: Santa Monica, CA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: KDEN, Denver International, runway 35L, 12,000 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown, unknown - Pilot; age 45; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dawn - Wind: 20° at 9 knots, gusting 14 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 22,000 ft broken - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 27 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: KDEN ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20120921024269I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120921024269I), Sep 21, 2012: Canadair Ltd CL-600-2A12, Denver, CO, No damage. On 9/21/2012 at approximately 1430 hrs. MDT, N125PS, a Canadair Ltd. Model CL-600-2A12 challenger aircraft sustained no damage after making an emergency… ## Other investigations on N125PS (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB SEA88IA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA88IA028), Dec 6, 1987: Canadair CL600-2A12 (N125PS), Twentynine Plms, CA, incident, no damage ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 18, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85169. 175 KB in all. - Miscellaneous: Bombardier Advisory Wire (item 1, .PDF, 125 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40400200&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous%3A%20Bombardier%20Advisory%20Wire-Master.PDF - Correspondence: Mr. Deroy, TSB Canada (item 2, .PDF, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40400201&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Correspondence%3A%20Mr.%20Deroy,%20TSB%20Canada-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.