Summary Sydney Bosmans is set to receive the Above and Beyond Award for heroism during the fatal plane crash later this year at the 2024 NBAA-BACE. Bosmans saved the lives of two passengers by directing them to an alternate exit before the crash. The NBAA Above and Beyond Award for Heroic Achievement will recognize Bosmans' actions in preventing injury and loss of life during the tragedy.
On Monday, August 12th, the National Business Aviation Administration (NBAA) revealed its plans to award flight attendant Sydney Bosmans one of its most prestigious awards. The NBAA will award the legendary Above and Beyond Award for Heroic Achievement to the flight attendant at this year's annual NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), which is set to take place from October 22 through October 24 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Bosmans will receive this award for her heroic acts that saved the lives of two passengers who were onboard a fatal plane crash that occurred in Naples, Florida, in February earlier this year.
The NTSB's preliminary report did not provide any details on how the aircraft lost both engines shortly before landing on an interstate road. Heroic acts Sydney Bosmans was the flight attendant onboard the Hop-A-Jet private jet that crashed on February 9, 2024, which sadly resulted in the death of the two pilots. On the day of the crash, the Hop-A-Jet aircraft, which was a Bombardier Challenger 604, was traveling from Ohio State University Airport (OSU) in Columbus, Ohio, to Naples Municipal Airport (APF) in Naples, Florida.
The flight was chartered and registered as flight 823. Around 15:00 local time on February 9, the aircraft was cleared to land at Naples Airport and was on approach to runway 23. Shortly after the aircraft was cleared to land, both of the engines signaled to the cockpit that the oil pressure was critically low.
Both engines failed shortly after this CAS message was seen, and the pilots radioed to the tower. The pilots responded to the tower less than a minute from when the initial warning messages were seen. However, the aircraft was still several miles away from the runway.
The pilots navigated to Interstate 75 and attempted to land on the highway. The aircraft approached the road, collided with two cars on the ground, and immediately erupted in flames. The Challenger 604 skidded across the ground and came to rest on the wall of the highway.
Both pilots were immediately killed in the crash. Both passengers and the single flight attendant, Sydney Bosmas, survived the initial crash. However, the main cabin door was blocked by wreckage, and the over-the-wing exit door was blocked by flames.
Bosmans immediately directed both passengers to a rear baggage door in the tailcone. She assisted the passengers in exiting the aircraft through the rear of the aircraft, and all three were able to run to safety. This occurred just moments before a secondary explosion occurred underneath the aircraft.
Bosmans's quick thinking and finding of an alternate exit effectively saved the lives of both herself and the passengers onboard the aircraft. The NBAA President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ed Bolen, spoke about the heroic acts of Bosmans. He stated, "Faced with a harrowing, life-threatening crisis, Sydney Bosmans maintained calm and clear thinking and drew upon her professional training to quickly identify a means of escape that saved three lives.
Safety is at the forefront of our industry, and Sydney’s actions demonstrate how safety is also the paramount duty for all cabin personnel. We are pleased to present her with NBAA’s Above and Beyond Award for Heroic Achievement." Because of these heroic actions, the NBAA will award Bosmans the Above and Beyond Award for Heroic Achievement.
This award recognizes individuals whose quick thinking and responsive actions help avoid injury, loss of life, or catastrophic business aircraft damage in the aviation industry. The award was recently developed in 2020. Previous winners of the award include Bruce Monnier and Gerald Down in 2020, who together safely landed an aircraft with dual-engine flameouts, and Robert Morgan in 2022, who successfully landed a Cessna Caravan in the Bahamas after its pilot suffered a debilitating medical issue.
The crashed aircraft The Bombardier Challenger 604 that was used during this flight was registered as N823KD. This aircraft was built in 2004 and had a manufacturing serial number of 5584. At the time of the incident, East Shore Aviation owned N823KD, but Ace Aviation Services was operating it at the time.
Ace Aviation Services was doing business as Hop-A-Jet Worldwide Jet Charter, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The aircraft was destroyed and nearly completely consumed by the post-crash fire. The Bombardier Challenger 600 series has been a generally safe aircraft to fly since it was introduced in the 1980s by Canadair.
Specifically, the Challenger 604 was built from 1996 through 2006, and during this time, over 360 aircraft of this kind were built and delivered. Since then, per the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) database , only four incidents have occurred. The fatal Hop-A-Jet Flight 823 was only the second fatal accident involving a Challenger 604.
The first incident occurred in Truckee, California, on August 10, 2023. This incident involved a flight with four passengers. The NTSB reported that the flight crew eventually lost control of the flight, which later resulted in the death of all six onboard the aircraft.
N823KD had accumulated nearly 10,000 total flight hours before the incident. However, it completed its most recent airworthiness inspection on January 5, the month before the incident. Both of the pilots operating the aircraft were experienced in the aircraft.
Captain Edward Daniel Murphy had over 10,500 total flight hours, of which nearly 3,000 were in the Challenger 600 series. First Officer Ian Frederick Hofmann had just under 25,000 total flight hours, of which 138 hours were in the Challenger 600 series..
