NTSB Docket Reveals Cockpit Warning Before GIV Crash
The flight crew of the Gulfstream GIV that crashed on May 31, 2014, in Bedford, Mass., received a “rudder limit advisory (blue) message” while on takeoff roll, according to more than 800 pages of data released today by the NTSB. The aircraft overrran Runway 11 after a rejected takeoff, struck lighting and an antenna assembly and came to rest in a gully before being consumed by a post-crash fire. All seven people aboard were killed.
According to the cockpit voice recorder transcript, during takeoff roll the copilot reported the rudder limit advisory message. The captain asked whether the copilot was using the rudders, to which the copilot responded, “No.” A sound similar to a power increase followed, then the copilot reported “V1” and “rotate.” Within a second the captain repeatedly reported, “Lock is on,” and then, “I can’t stop it.” The aircraft reached 165 knots on takeoff roll but did not lift off the runway.
An NTSB preliminary accident report issued in June focused on the twinjet’s control wheel mechanical gust-lock system. Study materials for the GIV instruct pilots to shut down the engines and bleed hydraulic pressure to zero if the engine is inadvertently started with the gust lock engaged.
A contract pilot who flew with the accident crew told NTSB investigators that the captain conducted complete flight control checklists before each of their flights but did not use a formal checklist. Data from a quick access recorder installed in the accident airplane revealed that out of 176 takeoffs, only two complete and 16 partial control checks were identified. There was none identified for the accident flight.