Undetected corrosion caused Challenger 604 to crash on Florida interstate

The NTSB released the final report this week on the Bombardier Challenger 604 that crashed on a Florida interstate on Feb. 9, 2024. According to the report, the aircraft was flying from the Ohio State University Airport (OSU) to Naples Municipal Airport (APF). After receiving clearance to land, the aircraft received three master warnings over the oil pressure in the engines. Less than a minute later, the crew announced they had lost both engines and would not be able to make the runway. The jet then crashed onto Interstate 75 iand burst into flames, killing 50-year-old pilot Edward Daniel Murphy and 65-year-old copilot Ian Hofmann. AAttendant Sydney Ann Bosmans, 27, coordinated the successful escape of passengers 35-year-old Aaron Baker and 23-year-old Audra Green, as well as herself, through the baggage compartment door in the tail section of the aircraft. The NTSB also reports that one person on the ground sustained a minor injury. A chemical analysis was done on the Challenger 604's compressor case and variable geometry (VG) system hardware. It found corroded steel and elements commonly found in a sea salt environment. The jet was mainly stored in airports that were close to the ocean, and the corrosion likely built up over time. RELATED STORIES: Transcripts reveal tense final moments before deadly Challenger 604 crash Crew received 3 low engine oil pressure warnings moments before deadly Challenger 604 crash Challenger 604 crashes on Florida highway The report also states that in the 25 days before the accident, the aircraft experienced a hung start on both engines. The engine manufacturer claims that a hung start may indicate corrosion buildup in the engine and result in poor starting and operating performance. In the past decade, the operator reportedly experienced seven hung starts. The corrosion could have been identified in the engine through an MP 68 pressure check. This step was very late in the fault-isolation hung-start guidance and was not a required maintenance check as the engines were started, so the corrosion remained undetected. The NTSB stated that the corrosion of the VG system resulted in both engines failing and the Bombardier Challenger 604 crashing. It also states that inadequate fault-isolation guidance from the engine manufacturer prevented the identification of corrosion buildup in the aircraft during troubleshooting. As a result, the engine manufacturer published an updated version.