Jet in deadly flight may have had ‘trim issues': NTSB

HARTFORD, Conn. — A business jet may have experienced problems with its stability before encountering turbulence or some other roughness that caused the death of a passenger who served in prominent posts in two presidential administrations, officials said Monday. The National Transportation Safety Board said it’s looking at a “reported trim issue,” a reference to adjustments that are made to an airplane’s control surfaces to ensure it is stable and level in flight. Last year, the Federal Aviation Administration instructed pilots flying the same model of Bombardier aircraft to take extra pre-flight measures after trim problems had been reported. She served as a special assistant to the president for cabinet affairs and a special assistant to the deputy U.S. attorney general during President Bill Clinton’s administration, and as a senior policy adviser at the State Department and associate director at the Office of Management and Budget during President Barack Obama’s administration, the LinkedIn site indicates. Bombardier, the Canadian manufacturer of the jet, said in a statement that it cannot comment on the potential cause of the in-flight problem but extended its “deepest sympathies to all those affected by this accident.” “We stand behind our aircraft, which are designed to be robust and reliable in accordance with Transport Canada and all international airworthiness standards,” the company said.