Gates Learjet 25D N999BH
5 September 1993 · Pecos, New Mexico, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 5 September 1993 at about 23:15 local time, a Gates Learjet 25D registered N999BH, operated by Black Swan Jet Charter, was involved in an accident near Pecos, New Mexico, United States. 7 people were on board and 7 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 23:15
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Pecos, New Mexico, United States
- Coordinates
- 35.5703, -105.6707
- Aircraft
- Gates Learjet 25D
- Registration
- N999BH
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Black Swan Jet Charter
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Houston → Santa Fe
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW93FA255
People
7 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
WAS PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND FROM ALCOHOL AND DRUGS. A FACTOR WAS THE FIRST OFFICER'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE LEAR JET.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
WHILE DESCENDING TO HIS DESTINATION THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) CANCELED HIS IFR CLEARANCE AND DECLINED VFR FLIGHT FOLLOWING. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE IN THE AREA WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED, APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED RISING TERRAIN AT 7,300 FEET MSL. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTING REVEALED THAT THE PIC AND TWO PASSENGERS HAD COCAINE AND ALCOHOL IN TISSUE SAMPLES. AT AN UNKNOWN TIME THE PIC LEFT THE COCKPIT. BASED ON COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER ANALYSIS, HE WAS CALLED BACK TO THE COCKPIT APPROXIMATELY 11 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT BY THE COPILOT. THE COPILOT HAD NO PREVIOUS LEAR EXPERIENCE. TOXICOLOGICAL TEST RESULTS INDICATED THAT THE PIC 'USED COCAINE IN THE VERY RECENT PAST, PROBABLY WHILE IN-FLIGHT' AND CONCLUDED THAT HE 'WAS IMPAIRED BY MULTIPLE DRUG USE OF COCAINE AND ALCOHOL.' THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY STRUCTURAL OR SYSTEM FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Gates Learjet 25 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Jun 1992 | Gates Learjet 25B | Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, United States | Jet Charter Group, Inc. | Fatal | 2 |
| 26 Nov 1990 | Gates Learjet 25B | Chicago, Illinois, United States | Connie Kalitta Services Inc | Minor injuries | - |
| 17 Nov 1988 | Gates Learjet 25B | Bend, Oregon, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Jan 1998 | Gates Learjet 25B | Houston, Texas, United States | American Corporate Aviation | Fatal | 2 |
| 22 Nov 2001 | Gates Learjet 25B | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 5 Jan 1985 | Gates Learjet 25B | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Feb 1993 | Piper PA-28-180 | Magdalena, New Mexico, United States | Klungle, Robert L. | Serious injuries | - |
| 18 Feb 1993 | Cessna 340A | Clovis, New Mexico, United States | Omega Associates PA | No injuries | - |
| 1 Oct 1993 | Bell 204-B | Cedar Crest, New Mexico, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 27 Nov 1993 | Cessna 172N | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | Peacock Flying Service | No injuries | - |
| 8 Mar 1993 | Cessna 180J | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | George H. Burk | No injuries | - |
| 11 Mar 1993 | Mistretta CHALLENGER II | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | Mistretta, Charles J. | No injuries | - |