Learjet 35 N47BA

Summary

On 25 October 1999 at about 17:13 local time, a Learjet 35 registered N47BA, operated by Sunjet Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Aberdeen, South Dakota, United States. 6 people were on board and 6 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 October 1999 at 17:13

Classification

Accident

Location

Aberdeen, South Dakota, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Learjet 35

Registration

N47BA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Sunjet Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Orlando → Dallas

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DCA00MA005

6 people died.

Incapacitation of the flight crewmembers as a result of their failure to receive supplemental oxygen following a loss of cabin pressurization, for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The full report is available on the NTSB Web site. See http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/publictn.htm for details. SUMMARY On October 25, 1999, about 1213 central daylight time (CDT), a Learjet Model 35, N47BA, operated by Sunjet Aviation, Inc., of Sanford, Florida, crashed near Aberdeen, South Dakota. The airplane departed Orlando, Florida, for Dallas, Texas, about 0920 eastern daylight time (EDT). Radio contact with the flight was lost north of Gainesville, Florida, after air traffic control (ATC) cleared the airplane to flight level (FL) 390. The airplane was intercepted by several U.S. Air Force (USAF) and Air National Guard (ANG) aircraft as it proceeded northwestbound. The military pilots in a position to observe the accident airplane at close range stated (in interviews or via radio transmissions) that the forward windshields of the Learjet seemed to be frosted or covered with condensation. The military pilots could not see into the cabin. They did not observe any structural anomaly or other unusual condition. The military pilots observed the airplane depart controlled flight and spiral to the ground, impacting an open field. All occupants on board the airplane (the captain, first officer, and four passengers) were killed, and the airplane was destroyed.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.