Hop-A-Jet Seeks to Bolster FAA Engine Corrosion AD

Charter operator urges regulators to close critical inspection loopholes following fatal Challenger 604 accident.

Meg Godlewski

Tuesday, June 16, 2026 at 12:43 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Hop-A-Jet operates a fleet of charter jets out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. [Courtesy: Hop-A-Jet]

Key Takeaways:

Hop-A-Jet is urging the FAA to strengthen an Airworthiness Directive (AD) on engine corrosion prevention following a fatal 2024 crash of one of its Bombardier Challenger 604 aircraft.
The NTSB determined the dual-engine failure was caused by corrosion in the GE CF34 engines' variable geometry system, which Hop-A-Jet asserts was visible in prior inspections but not reported to them due to inadequate manufacturer inspection and reporting protocols.
The operator is advocating for the AD to mandate clear borescope inspection requirements for corrosion, comprehensive reporting of findings, consideration of environmental risk factors, and revised maintenance instructions to ensure operators are informed and can act on safety-critical conditions.

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Hop-A-Jet is calling on the FAA to strengthen an airworthiness directive (AD) on engine corrosion prevention. The private charter jet operator submitted comments in response to the agency’s release of a notice of proposed rule making (NPRM), Docket No. FAA-2026-3875, for certain GE CF34 engines.

The AD was created in response to the investigation of a February 9, 2024, fatal accident involving a Hop-A-Jet-operated Bombardier Challenger 604 aircraft. The aircraft was on a 5-mile final to Runway 23 at Naples Airport (KAPF) in Florida when both engines began to lose power. The aircraft came down on a freeway at rush hour, struck a road sign and a retaining wall, then caught fire.