Air transportation safety investigation A23O0008
The TSB has completed this investigation. The report was published on 27 March 2024.
Table of contents
Loss of control in flight
Chartright Air Inc. (dba Chartright Air Group)
Cessna 560 Encore, C-FYMM
Vicinity of Cayuga, Ontario
The occurrence
On , a Chartright Air Inc. (doing business as Chartright Air Group) Cessna 560 Encore (registration C-FYMM, serial number 560-0705) was conducting an instrument flight rules flight from Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International Airport (CYYZ), Ontario, to Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE), Florida, United States, with 2 flight crew and 3 passengers on board. Shortly after takeoff, while the aircraft was climbing to cruise altitude, the engine cowl doors detached from the left-engine nacelle, resulting in a loss of control of the aircraft. After a significant loss of altitude, the flight crew regained control of the aircraft, declared an emergency, and diverted to Buffalo Niagara International Airport (KBUF), New York, United States, where it landed without further incident. While the aircraft was taxiing, a remaining piece of the lower cowl door fell from the aircraft. No other pieces of the cowl doors were located. The aircraft’s aft fuselage and horizontal stabilizer were damaged. The flight crew and 2 passengers received minor injuries, and 1 passenger received serious injuries.
Media materials
News release
In-flight detachment of left-engine cowl doors led to loss of control and emergency landing
Read the news release
Investigation information
Map showing the location of the occurrence
Investigator-in-charge
Sébastien Lachapelle is a regional senior investigator with the Ontario region of the Air Investigations Branch. He joined the TSB in 2020.
Before joining the TSB, Mr. Lachapelle worked for various aircraft manufacturers and maintenance organizations where he occupied positions from aircraft final assembly line inspector to manager, quality assurance and regulatory compliance, including aircraft systems functional test agent and internal auditor. He also worked as an aircraft maintenance engineer.
Starting in 2007, he worked at Transport Canada as a civil aviation safety inspector and as an enforcement investigator. More recently, he worked as a technical team lead, Airworthiness.
Mr. Lachapelle holds an aircraft maintenance engineer licence from Transport Canada.
Class of investigation
This is a class 3 investigation. These investigations analyze a small number of safety issues, and may result in recommendations. Class 3 investigations are generally completed within 450 days. For more information, see the Policy on Occurrence Classification.
TSB investigation process
There are 3 phases to a TSB investigation
- Field phase: a team of investigators examines the occurrence site and wreckage, interviews witnesses and collects pertinent information.
- Examination and analysis phase: the TSB reviews pertinent records, tests components of the wreckage in the lab, determines the sequence of events and identifies safety deficiencies. When safety deficiencies are suspected or confirmed, the TSB advises the appropriate authority without waiting until publication of the final report.
- Report phase: a confidential draft report is approved by the Board and sent to persons and corporations who are directly concerned by the report. They then have the opportunity to dispute or correct information they believe to be incorrect. The Board considers all representations before approving the final report, which is subsequently released to the public.
For more information, see our Investigation process page.
The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline, and rail transportation occurrences. Its sole aim is the advancement of transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.