Gates Learjet 35A N354EF

Summary

On 15 April 2021 at about 16:30 local time, a Gates Learjet 35A registered N354EF, operated by Medway Air Ambulance LLC, was involved in an accident near Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 April 2021 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

City of Colorado Springs Muni (COS)

Coordinates

38.8058, -104.7008

Aircraft

Gates Learjet 35A

Registration

N354EF

Category

Airplane

Year built

1981

Engines

2

Operator

Medway Air Ambulance LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Englewood → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN21LA190

Nobody was injured.

The flight crew’s improper decision to continue the unstabilized approach, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with the runway during landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight crew was conducting an instrument approach to the destination airport with the captain as the pilot monitoring and the copilot as the pilot flying. The airplane exited an overcast layer of clouds about 650 to 700 ft above ground level and about 1/2 mile right of the runway centerline. The captain requested the flight controls and returned the airplane to the runway extended centerline about 100 ft above ground level and reduced the throttles to “idle.” During landing, the stick shaker activated, and the captain applied engine power; however, the airplane stalled, and the right wingtip fuel tank impacted the runway, resulting in substantial damage. There was no mechanical malfunction/failure of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The operator’s operations manual specified that a stabilized approach should be established no later than 500 ft above airport elevation.  

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.