Overview
- The preliminary report released March 6 says about 17 minutes elapsed from the start of anti-icing to the takeoff attempt, exceeding the FAA’s nine-minute guidance for the snowy, near-freezing conditions.
- Cockpit audio captured the pilot describing 14 to 18 minutes as “standard” and planning to re-deice only after 30 minutes, a view the copilot agreed with, according to investigators.
- A review of flight data found no evidence of a flight-control malfunction, and both engines continued developing takeoff power until the recording stopped.
- Multiple airport CCTV cameras and runway markings showed a high-energy impact with the jet overturning, a debris field roughly 1,270 feet by 150 feet, fuel residue, and multiple post-impact explosions and fire.
- Records link the aircraft’s registration to a Houston law firm’s address, and investigators continue examining de-icing procedures and weather categorization without assigning probable cause.