A Bombardier Challenger 650 that crashed on takeoff from Bangor International Airport (BGR) in Maine on January 25, 2026, appears to have departed after exceeding the maximum holdover time for its anti-ice treatment, according to a preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The crash killed both pilots and four passengers. The airplane, N10KJ, had arrived in Bangor from Houston as the first leg of a planned transatlantic trip to Châlons-Vatry Airport in France.
According to the NTSB, the jet landed at Bangor at 1809 local time, taxied to the FBO ramp for refueling, then later taxied to the deice pad as snow fell. The deicing process began at 1919:26 and ended at 1927:04. Type IV anti-ice application started at 1927:43 and concluded at 1930:55. The report said the weather during the anti-ice application included 3/4 statute mile visibility, light snow, a temperature of minus 16 degrees Celsius, and nighttime conditions.
Under the FAA Holdover Time Guidelines for winter 2025-2026, the NTSB said that combination of nighttime visibility, snowfall intensity, and temperature translated to a maximum holdover time of nine minutes, measured from the start of the anti-ice application.
That timing appears to be central to the preliminary findings.
The aircraft sat for 4 minutes 51 seconds after the anti-ice application ended, then began taxiing from the deice pad at 1935:46. By then, about 8 minutes 3 seconds had already elapsed since the start of the anti-ice application. The Challenger stopped about 200 feet short of the Runway 33 hold-short line at 1940:16. It did not begin the takeoff roll until 1943:57. That means roughly 16 minutes 14 seconds passed between the start of the Type IV anti-ice application and the start of the takeoff roll, well beyond the nine-minute maximum holdover time cited by investigators.
The cockpit voice recorder captured a discussion about holdover times during the taxi. According to the NTSB, the pilot commented that it was “standard” to have 14-18 minutes and that if the wait was more than 30 minutes, the crew would return to the ramp to deice again. The copilot agreed. The preliminary report does not say why the crew discussed a longer time window than the FAA guideline cited by investigators. It also does not say whether the pilots consulted the wrong table, misread the conditions, or misunderstood how the holdover calculation applied to the weather that night.
The NTSB specifically said that at night, 3/4 mile visibility corresponded to “moderate” snowfall intensity under the FAA guidance, producing the nine-minute maximum holdover time.
Upon liftoff, the flight lasted only seconds. According to flight data recorder information, the copilot called V1 at 1944:18, though the airplane had not yet reached that speed. The airplane lifted off at 1944:24. About two seconds later, both stick shakers activated. The jet rolled left, then right, while both ailerons deflected consistent with full left control wheel input. At 1944:30, just before the recorder stopped, the airplane had a pitch attitude of about 6 degrees nose-up and a bank angle of about 77 degrees right wing down.
The NTSB said the preliminary flight data did not show evidence of a flight control malfunction or failure, and both engines continued to produce takeoff power until recording stopped. The aircraft impacted the ground off the right side of Runway 33 and was destroyed by impact forces, explosions, and a post-crash fire.
