Learjet 25B N666TW

Summary

On 19 September 2003 at about 22:10 local time, a Learjet 25B registered N666TW, operated by Ameristar Jet Charter, Inc., was involved in an accident near Del Rio, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 September 2003 at 22:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Del Rio, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Del Rio International (DRT)

Coordinates

29.3522, -100.9167

Aircraft

Learjet 25B

Registration

N666TW

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Ameristar Jet Charter, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

El Paso → Del Rio

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW03FA229

1 person died.

The pilot's misjudged distance and speed during the approach to landing, and his failure to obtain the proper touchdown point resulting in an overrun. A contributing factor was the pilot's failure to abort the landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The cargo flight was cleared for a visual approach to the 5,000-foot long, by 150-foot wide asphalt runway. Based on estimated landing weight of the aircraft, the Vref was estimated at 116 KIAS. Air traffic Control (ATC) radar data revealed that the flight maintained a ground speed above 190 knots on final approach, to include the touchdown zone for runway 13. The first evidence of braking was noted at a point 1,247 feet from the departure end of the runway. Braking signatures on the asphalt as well as off the pavement were consistent with an operational anti-skid system. Witnesses at the airport also observed the airplane flying very fast and touching down long. Both crewmembers, the 4,689-hour captain and the 2,873-hour first officer, were familiar with the airport, and the flight was 20 minutes ahead of its scheduled arrival time. The airplane overran the departure end of runway 13, impacted the airport perimeter fence, proceeded across a roadway, took out another fence, and collided with two trees in a cemetery. The airplane was found to be within weight and balance limits for all phases of the flight. The installed cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was found not to be functional.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.