Kerry Lynch stepped into the role of editor of the&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;monthly magazine in May 2022 after serving with&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;for eight years. She joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in December 2014 as a senior editor covering Washington and business aviation news. She has also served on Convention News teams, including as editor of&nbsp;HAI Convention News. Lynch previously spent 25 years with Aviation Week. During her time there, she reported for and later steered&nbsp;The Weekly of Business Aviation, oversaw business aviation content on the&nbsp;Aviation Week Intelligence Network, served on the&nbsp;Show News&nbsp;staff, and held roles as the Washington columnist for&nbsp;Business &amp; Commercial Aviation&nbsp;and&nbsp;Overhaul &amp; Maintenance&nbsp;monthly magazines. In 2021 she was honored with the National Business Aviation Association Platinum Wing Award for lifetime achievement in journalism and was the 2004 recipient of the National Air Transportation Association’s Aviation Journalism Excellence Award. She also has been a recipient of an Aerospace Media Award for business aviation (2022) and NBAA Gold Wing Award (2003, 2024). Lynch graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor of arts in journalism.

Editor, AIN monthly magazine

Kerry Lynch

A crew’s decision to land with a tailwind above the aircraft’s operating limitations and perform an unstabilized approach lead to the Jan. 5, 2014 crash of a Bombardier Challenger 601-3R at Aspen-Pitkin Airport in Colorado, the NTSB concluded.&nbsp;In its final report released on April 20, NTSB cited the crew’s failure to maintain airplane control as the probable cause of the accident. The decision to perform the approach rather than go-around&nbsp;and the decision to land in winds gusting up to 25 knots were cited as contributing factors.


The aircraft, N115WF, was operated by Vineland Corp. of Panama on a Part 91 flight from Tucson, Arizona, to Aspen-Pitkin Airport when it crashed on Runway 15, killing the copilot, and injuring the captain and a passenger who also was a pilot rated on the aircraft.


The aircraft was on approach to Runway 15 when air traffic control advised that wind was from 290&nbsp;degrees at 19 knots with gusts to 25 knots.&nbsp;One minute later the crew reported they were executing a missed approach and requested vectors for a second approach.&nbsp;ATC provided vectors for another LOC/DME-E approach to Runway 15, but also advised that the wind was from 330&nbsp;degress at 16 knots and the one-minute average wind was from 320 degrees at 14 knots gusting to 25 knots.


The initial part of the second approach went as expected for descent angle, flap setting and spoilers, the NTSB reported.&nbsp;But in the final minute of flight, “the engines were advanced and retarded five times, and the airplane's airspeed varied between 135 knots and 150 knots,” according to the report, which added the final part of the approach was inconsistent with a stabilized approach.&nbsp;The report continues, "The airplane stayed nose down during its final descent and initial contact with the runway. The vertical acceleration and pitch parameters were consistent with the airplane pitch oscillating above the runway for a number of seconds before a hard runway contact, a gain in altitude, and a final impact into the runway at about 6 g."


“Assuming the crew had control of the airplane, and that the engines were advanced to the appropriate climb setting, anti-ice was off, and tailwinds were less than a sustained 25 knots, the airplane had the capability to complete a go-around, clearing the local obstacles along that path,” NTSB said.


The airplane flight manual specifies "the maximum tailwind component approved for takeoff and landing is 10 knots."


Both crewmembers had recently completed simulator training in the CL600.&nbsp;The captain, who held a Mexican air transport pilot certificate, had between 12 and 14 hours total time in type, including simulator hours. A further review determined that the certificate should also have included a pilot-in-command limitation for the CL600, but the designated pilot examiner had overlooked that fact.&nbsp;The copilot, who also held a temporary U.S. FAA airman certificate with a pilot-in-command limitation for the CL600, had approximately the same hours in type.&nbsp;


“Additional flight time would have increased the crew's familiarity with the airplane and its limitation and likely improved their decision-making during the unstabilized approach,” the NTSB said.&nbsp;The captain had asked the passenger, who had experience in the type, to accompany them to provide guidance.&nbsp;The passenger was in the jumpseat position, unable to reach the controls or act as a qualified pilot-in-command, the Safety Board added.

News about significant aircraft accidents and information from accident reports.

NTSB Cites Unstabilized Approach in 2014 CL600 Crash

NTSB found the crew decided to land with tailwinds that exceeded the airplane's operating limitations.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Amy Wilder

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Pilot died of cardiac arrest during the flight

NTSB: Pax Safely Lands King Air after Pilot Collapsed

Vehicle also struck parked ground-support tractor; there were no injuries

Teen Driver Breaches Fence, Hits PlaneSense PC-12 at KPSM

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Six fatal accidents resulted in 22 fatalities in the quarter

NBAA Report Flags Powerplant, Collision Risks in Q2 Data

Curt Epstein

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Twenty years ago, a business jet and commerical airliner collided; the smaller airplane survived

Remembering a Solemn Anniversary: the Amazon Midair 

David Jack Kenny

Preliminary and final accident reports, September 2026

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: September 2026

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

More In Accidents

NTSB: Pax Safely Lands King Air after Pilot Collapsed

Pilot died of cardiac arrest during the flight

Teen Driver Breaches Fence, Hits PlaneSense PC-12 at KPSM

Vehicle also struck parked ground-support tractor; there were no injuries

NBAA Report Flags Powerplant, Collision Risks in Q2 Data

Six fatal accidents resulted in 22 fatalities in the quarter

Remembering a Solemn Anniversary: the Amazon Midair

Twenty years ago, a business jet and commerical airliner collided; the smaller airplane survived

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: September 2026

Preliminary and final accident reports, September 2026

NTSB Cites Heliport Misidentification in Aug. 2025 Crash

Captain opted out of instrument approach over autopilot concerns

Fire of Unknown Origin Led to 2024 Citation X Accident

NTSB: Ignition source could not be conclusively identified

NTSB: Bell 206L Damage Caused by Aeroelastic Interaction

Helicopter experienced a vertical hop for which the pilot didn’t know the recovery procedure

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN