Learjet 25D N333CG

Summary

On 12 June 2001 at about 18:00 local time, a Learjet 25D registered N333CG, operated by Avcon Industries, Inc., was involved in an accident near Salina, Kansas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 June 2001 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Salina, Kansas, United States

Nearest airport

Salina Municipal Airport (SLN)

Coordinates

38.8169, -97.6464

Aircraft

Learjet 25D

Registration

N333CG

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Avcon Industries, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Newton → Salina

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI01MA163

2 people were seriously injured.

The PIC's delayed remedial action during the elevator system oscillation, resulting in the failure of the aft elevator sector clevis due to reverse bending fatigue caused by vibration, and subsequent loss of elevator control. Factors contributing to the accident were high and gusting winds, the crosswind, the airport perimeter fence, and the berm.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a test flight, the airplane encountered an elevator system oscillation while in a high-speed dive outside the normal operating envelope. The 17 second oscillation was recorded on the cockpit voice recorder and had an average frequency of 28 Hz. The aft elevator sector clevis (p/n 2331510-32) fractured due to reverse bending fatigue caused by vibration, resulting in a complete loss of elevator control. The flight crew reported that pitch control was established by using horizontal stabilizer pitch trim. The flightcrew stated that during final approach to runway 17 (13,337 feet by 200 feet, dry/asphalt) the aircraft's nose began to drop and that the flying pilot was unable to raise the nose using a combination of horizontal stabilizer trim and engine power. The aircraft landed short of the runway, striking an airport perimeter fence and a berm. The surface winds were from the south at 23 knots, gusting to 32 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.