Crown Center Aviation

Learjet 24

The crew departed Memphis on a flight to Addison, Texas. En route, the crew was cleared to climb to FL300 but the aircraft continued to climb without authorization until FL440. ATC tried to contact the crew without success. It was decided to dispatch a USAF Northrop T-38 Talon fighter and his pilot confirmed that the cockpit windows were covered by frost and that he was unable to contact the crew. The aircraft continued its route to the south, entered the Mexican airspace and few minutes later, after both engines failed due to fuel exhaustion, the aircraft entered a dive and crashed near Cuatro Ciénegas. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and both pilots were killed, among them the NASA astronaut-candidate Susan Reynolds aged 27.