Final Report on Circuit City Crash Released

The NTSB has published the final report on the Icing-related crash of a Cessna Citation 560 that stalled during approach to Runway 26R at Pueblo Memorial Airport on Feb. 16, 2005. The two pilots and six passengers were killed. The probable cause of the accident, according to the Safety Board, “was the flight crew’s failure to effectively monitor and maintain airspeed and comply with procedures for de-ice boot activation on the approach, which caused an aerodynamic stall from which they did not recover.” The Citation’s autopilot was on until it automatically disengaged as the jet exceeded a 40-degree bank during the stall that preceded the crash. The report also said the FAA contributed to the accident by failing to establish adequate certification requirements for flight into icing conditions.