Failure to de-ice the aircraft before take-off has been confirmed as the primary cause of the fatal 4 January 2002 Bombardier Challenger 604 crash immediately after take-off from Birmingham airport, UK. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) report says the aircraft rolled 50° to the left immediately after take-off despite crew input of full right aileron and rudder, and the wingtip struck the ground and both pilots and the two passengers were killed.
The aircraft, operated by Epps Air Service and chartered by Agco, was not found to have any faults, but the AAIB says the cause of the accident was that "the crew did not ensure that the wings were clear of frost before take-off". A second "possible" causal factor was registered owing to both pilots' use of a non-prescription drug taken to counter the effects of a cold.
Source: Flight International
