Grand Rapids – Stephenville – Shannon

On December 6, 1996 at 02:38 AM, Grand Rapids – Stephenville – Shannon experienced a crash involving Learjet 36, operated by Chrysler Aviation, with the event recorded near Stephenville Newfoundland & Labrador.

The flight was categorized as positioning 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, 2 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

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

The listed crash cause is human factor. Learjet L36A (serial number 033), N14TX, was on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight from Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Stephenville, Newfoundland. At 0216 Newfoundland standard time (NST1), N14TX was cleared by Gander Area Control Centre (ACC) for an approach to the Stephenville airport. The co-pilot contacted the St. John=s Flight Service Station (FSS) and advised that they would be conducting an approach to runway 28. The FSS specialist relayed the latest Stephenville weather observation and runway surface condition report to the aircraft and requested that the crew advise St. John=s FSS when they had landed. When the crew of N14TX did not report after landing at Stephenville, the St. John=s FSS specialist advised Gander ACC that the aircraft was missing, and a search was begun. Initial information received by the agencies searching for the missing aircraft did not include the aircraft=s last recorded radar position. The wreckage was located approximately three hours and ten minutes after the aircraft was reported missing, within the airport perimeter, close to the last observed aircraft radar position. The aircraft struck a service road embankment in an inverted, wings-level attitude. The two crew members were fatally injured. The accident occurred during the hours of darkness at approximately 0238 NST.

Aircraft reference details include registration N14TX, MSN 36-033, year of manufacture 1977.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 48.5532°, -58.5653°.