Fresno - Fresno

On December 14, 1994 at 11:46 AM, Fresno - Fresno experienced a crash involving Learjet 35, operated by Phoenix Air Group, with the event recorded near Fresno California.

The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

2 people were known to be on board, 4 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 200.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 2.

The listed crash cause is human factor. At about 1146 pst, Learjet 35A, N521PA, operating as a public use aircraft, crashed in Fresno, CA. Operating with call sign Dart 21, the flightcrew had declared an emergency inbound to Fresno Air Terminal due to engine fire indications. They flew the airplane toward a right base for their requested runway, but the airplane continued past the airport. The flightcrew was heard on tower frequency attempting to diagnose the emergency conditions and control the airplane until it crashed, with landing gear down, on an avenue in fresno. Both pilots were fatally injured. Twenty-one persons on the ground were injured, and 12 apartment units in 2 buildings were destroyed or substantially damaged by impact or fire. Investigation revealed that special mission wiring was not installed properly, leading to a lack of overload current protection. The in-flight fire most likely originated with a short of the special mission power supply wires in an area unprotected by current limiters. The fire resulted in false engine fire warning indications to the pilots that led them to a shutdown of the left engine. An intense fire burned through the aft engine support beam, damaging the airplane structure and systems in the aft fuselage and may have precluded a successful emergency landing.

Aircraft reference details include registration N521PA, MSN 35-239, year of manufacture 1979.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 36.7394°, -119.7848°.