The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Institute (ASI) has released an accident case study video for the July 26, 2021, fatal crash of a Bombardier Challenger 605 in Truckee, California, while attempting a circle-to-land approach in marginal VMC. The accident near Truckee Tahoe Airport (KTRK) killed all six onboard—two pilots and four passengers.

According to the NTSB final report, the accident was caused by “the first officer’s improper decision to attempt to salvage an unstabilized approach by executing a steep left turn to realign the airplane with the runway centerline, and the captain’s failure to intervene after recognizing the FO’s erroneous action.”

ASI’s video, “Accident Case Study: Conflict in the Cockpit,” recreates the tragic events that led up to the large-cabin jet crashing seconds before landing at KTRK. “We look at factors that affected the flight, including crew dynamics during the flight and improper energy management during the circling approach to the airport,” said ASI v-p of operations Paul Deres.

“Circling-to-land approaches often require maneuvering at low airspeed and low altitude during the final approach segment, risking loss of control or collisions with terrain,” he added. “This risk is even more pronounced in larger, faster airplanes like the Challenger 605, when monitoring appropriate energy management is imperative.”

The institute’s accident case studies use FAA air traffic control radio communication transcripts, NTSB documentation, and video animation to recreate the dynamics and track each accident’s chain of events. These videos are intended to share critical lessons to help pilots recognize and avoid similar mistakes.