Learjet 23 N959SC

Summary

On 23 July 1991 at about 01:15 local time, a Learjet 23 registered N959SC, operated by Jetstream International, Inc., was involved in an accident near Detroit, Michigan, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 July 1991 at 01:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Detroit, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Detroit City (DET)

Coordinates

42.3995, -83.0000

Aircraft

Learjet 23

Registration

N959SC

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Jetstream International, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Chicago

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

CHI91MA224

3 people died.

IMPROPER PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT, HIS FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF WHILE THERE WAS SUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING, AND HIS FAILURE TO ASSURE THAT THE AIRCRAFT ATTAINED SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED FOR LIFT-OFF AND CLIMB. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ASSURE THE AIRCRAFT WAS WITHIN ITS MAXIMUM WEIGHT LIMITATION, HIS IMPROPER USE OF THE PARKING BRAKE, AND INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION IN THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK CONCERNING THE AIRCRAFT PARKING BRAKE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

A LINEMAN NOTED PARKING BRAKE (P/B) WAS SET BFR FLT. PLTS BGN TKOF ON 5147' RWY WITH 10 KT X-WND. A WITNESS SAID ACFT ROTATED FOR TKOF ABT 4500' DWN RWY & LIFTED OFF ABT 50' LTR. RPRTDLY, IT RMND LOW & SLOW (20-60 FT AGL) AFTER LIFT-OFF, THEN BANKED (ROCKED) LEFT & RIGHT IN NOSE HI ATTITUDE, SETTLED, HIT TREES & CRASHED ABT 200' BYD RWY. ONE PERSON SAID ACFT WENT OUT OF CTL BFR IMPACT; ANOTHER SAID IT WAS 'IN OR ON THE EDGE OF STALLED FLIGHT.' EXAM SHOWED ROTATIONAL DMG OCCURRED IN BOTH ENGS DRG IMPACT. THE BRAKING SYS HAD EVIDENCE THAT P/B CTL VLV WAS PARTIALLY ON; BRAKE TORQUE TUBE CONTAINED HEAT BLUEING. ON THIS EARLY MODEL (LEARJET 23/SN: 23-45A), P/B HAD TO BE RLSD BY DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDALS 1ST; PLT HANDBOOK DID NOT ADDRESS THIS. ON LTR MODELS (SN: 23-050 & UP), P/B NEEDED ONLY TO BE MOVED 'OFF.' INV SHOWED LEFT SEAT PLT HAD TRNG IN LATER MODELS (LEARJET 24/25); BUT ONLY A BIENNIAL FLT REVIEW WAS NOTED IN THE MODEL 23. COMPANY DISPATCHER SAID NO TRNG WOULD HAVE BEEN PERFORMED ON ACDNT FLT (WITH PSGR ABOARD). ACFT WAS ABT 430 LBS OVR MAX WT LMT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.