Writer

Bombardier manufactures a variety of business aircraft models, provides engineering, and aircraft maintenance services.

Amy Wilder

An in-flight upset following an autopilot disconnect aboard a Bombardier Challenger 300 seriously injured a cabin attendant near San Francisco on July 27, 2022, according to an NTSB&nbsp;<a href="https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105674/pdf">final report</a>&nbsp;released this week. The cause of the disconnect could not be determined, and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) data had been overwritten on a continuous loop.
Registered N557XJ, the Challenger 300 was operating a Part 91 positioning flight from San Francisco International Airport (KSFO) to Page, Arizona (KPGA). The aircraft departed at 12:30 p.m. with two pilots and one cabin attendant on board.
After taking off from KSFO, the autopilot had been engaged in the climb. When the aircraft was passing through 20,000 feet, two caution messages appeared on the crew alerting system: “AP STAB TRIM FAIL” and “AP HOLDING NOSE DOWN.” According to his statements, the pilot-in-command had assumed control from the second-in-command, and shortly thereafter the autopilot “disconnected on its own just as I was going to push the disconnect button.” The aircraft then pitched up rapidly.
Flight data recorder information showed vertical acceleration spiked from 0.985 g to 2.221 gs in less than one second, followed by -0.426 g and then 2.096 gs to 0.176 g in subsequent seconds. During these abrupt oscillations, the cabin attendant sustained serious injuries. The pilots regained control and continued without engaging autopilot to a safe landing at KSFO at 1:02 p.m.&nbsp;
Because the CVR had already overwritten&nbsp;the relevant portion of the flight, the NTSB could not confirm whether the crew completed the required checklist steps for the caution messages. Those procedures warned of possible abrupt changes in control forces upon autopilot disconnect and advised setting the seatbelt sign on and holding the flight controls firmly.
Since the aircraft was above 10,000 feet at the time of the upset, company policy permitted cabin attendants to move about the cabin. Thus, the attendant had unbelted and was not seated when the upset occurred. No indication was found that the PIC or SIC instructed her to return to her seat, which the NTSB noted as “an advisory that would have been prudent before an expected abrupt change in flight control forces.”
No mechanical anomalies were found in the autopilot system. All components passed postaccident testing, and the report noted that although the crew described the disconnect as automatic, the system did not log any fault that would have triggered it. The NTSB concluded that the autopilot was most likely disengaged through inadvertent pilot input, but the exact cause could not be determined.

News about significant aircraft accidents and information from accident reports.

Cabin Crewmember Injured after Challenger 300 Autopilot Disconnect

CVR data overwritten before investigators could review it

A Challenger 300 experienced an in-flight upset when the autopilot disengaged unexpectedly; NTSB could not identify the trigger or confirm checklist use.

Cabin Attendant Injured after CL300 Autopilot Disengaged

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Matt Thurber

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.

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

Purpose is to find facts and not come to conclusions

NTSB Opens Hearing into KDCA Midair Collision

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

NTSB found crew used training checklist, thrust reversers in stow position

Improper Switch Position Led to 2023 Falcon 10 Overrun

Gordon Gilbert

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.

18 fatal turbine business aircraft accidents worldwide claimed 81 passengers and crewmembers

Bizjet Accident Fatalities Soar in First Half of 2025

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

The father of one of the pilots who died in the crash wants something positive to come from the tragedy

Tim Lilley: Fixing What Caused the DCA Midair Collision

David Jack Kenny

Preliminary and final accident reports, July 2025

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: July 2025

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

In this article

Challenger 300/350/3500

Bombardier

More In Accidents

NTSB Opens Hearing into KDCA Midair Collision

Purpose is to find facts and not come to conclusions

Improper Switch Position Led to 2023 Falcon 10 Overrun

NTSB found crew used training checklist, thrust reversers in stow position

Bizjet Accident Fatalities Soar in First Half of 2025

18 fatal turbine business aircraft accidents worldwide claimed 81 passengers and crewmembers

Tim Lilley: Fixing What Caused the DCA Midair Collision

The father of one of the pilots who died in the crash wants something positive to come from the tragedy

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: July 2025

Preliminary and final accident reports, July 2025

NTSB Faults Boeing Training in 2024 Max 9 Door Failure

FAA also faulted for failure to monitor Boeing’s SMS

Error in Speed, Distance Caused 2023 HondaJet Excursion

Pilot and passengers escaped without injuries

Spatial Disorientation Led to PC-12 In-flight Breakup

Risk assessment and oversight found insufficient

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN