Grumman G-159 Gulfstream I

Historical safety data and incident record for the Grumman G-159 Gulfstream I aircraft.

Safety Rating

9.9/10

Total Incidents

25

Total Fatalities

36

Incident History

Malu Aviation

Kinshasa-N'Djili Kinshasa City Province

After takeoff from Kinshasa-Ndolo Airport, the crew reported technical problems with the undercarriage and was cleared to divert to Kinshasa-N'Djili Airport. A belly landing was completed on runway 24 and the aircraft slid for few dozen metres then veered off runway to the right and came to rest in a grassy area. All 26 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It is believed that the left main gear was torn off upon takeoff from Kinshasa-Ndolo Airport for unknown reasons.

Malu Aviation

Djolu Tshuapa

Last March 12, the aircraft sustained damages upon landing at Djolu Airport. Repairs were carried on and the aircraft was ready for its back trip to Kinshasa on March 22, carrying three crew members, two pilots and one mechanic. After the brakes were released, while accelerating on a dirt runway, the aircraft veered off runway, contacted trees and crashed in a wooded area, bursting into flames. All three crew members evacuated the burned wreckage and only the mechanic was injured. The aircraft was totally destroyed.

International Trans Air Business

Pweto Katanga

Following an uneventful charter flight from Lubumbashi-Lueno Airport, the crew made a steep approach followed by a hard landing. The aircraft bounced and climbed to a height of about 20 feet, landed again and went out of control. It veered off runway to the left, collided with a rocky embankment, lost its undercarriage and came to rest, broken in several pieces. All five occupants escaped uninjured while the airplane was destroyed.

February 12, 2006 2 Fatalities

Maria de Jesus Morano

El Petén Petén

The aircraft departed Valencia-Arturo Michelana Airport at 2103LT on a flight to Barinas, southwest Venezuela. The flight plan was filed at FL220 and should take 35 minutes. En route, the crew reported all OK on board when the aircraft disappeared from radar screens. SAR did not find any trace of the aircraft nor the crew who was considered as deceased. In august 2008, an unconfirmed report mentioned that the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances near El Petén, Guatemala. It seems that aircraft was stolen and the flight was illegal (drug smuggling flight). Due to circumstances, all hypothesis remains still open.

January 24, 2003 3 Fatalities

African Commuter Services

Busia Eastern

The twin engine aircraft was returning from Busia to Nairobi, carrying a delegation of the Kenyan Government who made a local visit in Busia following the national elections. Shortly after takeoff from runway 13/31 which is 3,281 feet long, the aircraft encountered difficulties to gain height. It struck power cables and crashed onto a house. Both pilots and a passenger, the Labour Minister Ahmed Mohamed Khalif were killed while nine other occupants were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. There were no casualties on the ground.

Airwave Transport

Montreal-Pierre-Elliott Trudeau (ex Dorval) Quebec

Airwave flight 9806, a G-159 Gulfstream I, was flying IFR from Toronto (YYZ) to Montreal-Dorval (YUL). When it was on final for runway 06R, the pilot reported a problem with the landing gear. The crew recycled the gear and performed the emergency extension procedure unsuccessfully before trying various flight manoeuvres to free the gear. They then circled Montreal until minimum fuel was reached, declared an emergency and landed. On landing, the aircraft veered to the left and came to a halt 60 feet from the runway. Both pilots escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Skyways - Kenya

Mogadishu Banaadir (<U+0628><U+0646><U+0627><U+062F><U+0631><U+200E>)

After landing at Mogadishu Airport, the propeller on the right engine went into fine pitch. The crew lost control of the airplane that veered off runway to the right. While contacting soft ground, the aircraft lost its undercarriage and its tail before coming to rest, broken in two. All 23 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Skyways - Kenya

Lubi South Kordofan (<U+062C><U+0646><U+0648><U+0628> <U+0643><U+0631><U+062F><U+0641><U+0627><U+0646>)

The crew was completing an humanitarian flight from Kenya. Upon landing on soft ground at Lubi Airstrip, the nose gear sank then collapsed. The aircraft slid on its nose for few dozen metres and both propellers struck the ground as well. The aircraft came to rest and was damaged beyond repair. Both pilots escaped uninjured. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was still registered HK-4022X while its official new registration was N190LE since last 9 of July.

Air Provence International

Lyon-Saint Exupéry (ex Satolas) Rhône

On approach to Lyon-Satolas Airport, the crew realized he was not properly aligned with the runway centerline and decided to initiate a go-around procedure. Power was added on both engines but the left engine failed to respond. The aircraft lost height and struck the runway surface with its left wing, bounced, overturned and came to rest upside down, bursting into flames. All 27 occupants were evacuated, among them nine were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

TAS Airways

Pantelleria Sicily

The departure from Pantelleria Airport was initiated in strong crosswind conditions. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft deviated to the left and the crew decided to abort. The aircraft veered off runway, lost its right main gear and came to rest. All 18 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Celanese Mexicana

Zacapu Michoacán

After landing, the twin engine aircraft went out control, veered off runway and collided with trees. All 13 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

August 23, 1990 3 Fatalities

Rowan Drilling Company Marine

Houston-George Bush-Intercontinental Texas

The passengers and witnesses reported that during takeoff, the aircraft yawed both left and right after lift-off. It then veered to the left and contacted the ground in a left wing low attitude between the runway and a parallel taxiway. An investigation revealed evidence that the left engine had sustained a partial loss of power due to a malfunctioning fuel pump. There were indications the power loss was not sufficient to trigger or allow completion of the autofeathering operation of the left propeller. Feathering of the left propeller had been manually initiated, but the propeller had not reached the feather position before impact. Manual feathering operation required the feathering pump button be held about 5 sec. 'V' speeds (kias) for this flight were: V1 92, VR 99, V2 110, normal VMCA (dead engine propeller feathered, flaps set for takeoff and aircraft out of ground effect) 101, VMCA (dead engine propeller unfeathered/windmilling and flaps set for takeoff) 127 knots. Exam of the actuators revealed the gear was retracted and the flaps were set for takeoff. Both pilots and a passenger who was seating on the jumpseat were killed.

Helicol Colombia - Helicopteros Nacionales de Colombia

Montería-Los Garzones Córdoba

The aircraft was engaged in charter flight in Colombia on behalf of the National Bank of Colombia, carrying four passengers, two pilots and a load of bank notes. Following a wrong approach configuration, the aircraft landed too far down the runway 32 (1,860 meters long) at Montería-Los Garzones Airport. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran, lost its nose gear and both engines and came to rest 95 meters further. All six occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

February 5, 1990 15 Fatalities

Helicol Colombia - Helicopteros Nacionales de Colombia

Ibagué Tolima

While approaching Ibagué-Perales Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and was unable to locate the runway. In such conditions, the captain decided to initiate a go-around procedure and informed ATC that he would divert to the alternate airport if a second attempt-to-land would be abandoned. Few minutes later, while flying at an altitude of 5,000 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Saludo located 5,6 km west of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all 15 occupants were killed.

S. Lubbezoo

Niedernberg Bavaria

While in cruising level over Germany on a positioning flight from Rotterdam to Thessaloniki, the right engine failed and its propeller feathered automatically. The crew informed ATC and started a descent in an order to divert to the nearest airport. While descending, the power was restored on the right engine but it failed again. Once the altitude of 6,000 feet was reached on descent, the left engine failed as well. The crew reduced his altitude and completed a belly landing in an open field located near Niedernberg. Both pilots escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Maraven Oil Company

Cabimas-Oro Negro Zulia

After touchdown at Cabimas-Oro Negro Airport, the crew started the braking procedure when the aircraft collided with a cow. The right engine and the right main gear were torn off and the aircraft came to rest. There were no injuries among the occupants while the animal was killed. The accident occurred in June 1988, exact date unknown.

Celanese Mexicana

Mexico All Mexico

Crashed upon landing on an airstrip located somewhere in Yucatán. There were no casualties. The accident occurred in May 1988, exact date unknown.

Kirk E. Molhook

Arizona Arizona

Crashed in unknown circumstances in the desert somewhere in Arizona while engaged in an illegal flight. There were no casualties.

May 31, 1985 2 Fatalities

General Aviation Inc.

Nashville-Intl Tennessee

The aircraft was being operated as general aviation flight 115 and was departing on a routine night flight. During takeoff/initial climb, the left engine lost power. The flight crew attempted to control the climb-out, but following the application of water-methanol, the pilot lost directional control. Subsequently, the aircraft banked to the left, entered a descent and impacted between the parallel runway. An investigation disclosed that the left propeller's blade angle was 21°. No preimpact system malfunction or failure was found. The cockpit voice recording indicated that the flight crew did not complete all of the items on the before taxi/takeoff checklist. One of the items (presumably not completed) was a check of the h.p. cock levers. The checklist required that the h.p. cock levers be in 'cruise lockout' for takeoff. The left h.p. cock lever was found between the 'fuel off' and 'feather' positions. Movement to this position would have deactivated the auto-feather sys and shut down the left engine. Both pilots were killed.

Orion Air

Bristol-Tri-Cities Tennessee

The copilot stated that when he began the approach to the destination airport, the weather condition was hazy and he delayed his descent slightly until he located the airport. When he saw the runway, he believed that they were a little too close, so he indicated to the captain that he would like to make a 360° turn. At that point, the captain assumed control of the aircraft and continued the approach to runway 04. According to witnesses, the aircraft touched down long. According to the captain, he tried several applications of the normal braking system, but got no response. He then tried the emergency brakes and asked the copilot to get on the brakes, but reported there was no braking. Subsequently the aircraft went off the end of the runway, went over an embankment and hit a fence. It came to rest on a second embankment where it exploded and burned. Tire marks with evidence of braking action were found starting 2,377 feet beyond the runway threshold. A required field length of approximately 2,600 feet was calculated for landing. No pre-impact part failure/malfunction was found. VASI lights were inoperative. Both pilots escaped with minor injuries.

Conoco

Houston-William P. Hobby Texas

On approach to Houston-William P. Hobby Airport, a low oil pressure in the right engine gearbox forced the crew to shut down the engine and to feather its propeller. For unknown reason, the propeller was not properly feathered and the airplane was approaching too low and too fast. After touchdown, as the airplane already rolled half of the landing distance (7,600 feet), the captain decided to initiate a go-around. After liftoff, fire was observed coming out from the tail exhaust pipe while the left engine lost power. The crew attempted an emergency landing and completed a belly landing in an open field near the airport. All 20 occupants were rescued, among them a passenger was seriously injured. The aircraft was written off.

October 16, 1975 9 Fatalities

United States Navy - USN

Cherry Point MCAS (Cunningham Field) North Carolina

Shortly after lift off, a low torque sensing switch failed precipitating an auto feather of an engine. The crew mis-handled the required feathering procedure, allowing the propeller to unfeather and windmill. Subsequently, the crew retracted the flaps. This disabled a spring tab on the rudder which was designed to give additional rudder authority for high power/low airspeed situations. The result of the windmilling propeller and the loss in rudder authority was that V(mca) increased from 101 kts to 138 kts. The airplane rolled inverted and crashed. Witness marks on the operating engine's propeller reportedly indicated that the airplane's speed when it crashed was less than 90 kts. All on board, four crew men, four students and one instructor, were killed.

Collins Radio Company

Addison Texas

Following an uneventful flight from Cedar Rapids, the crew started the descent to Addison by night. On short final, he encountered heavy rain falls and the pilot initiated a go-around when the airplane descended and crashed onto the runway. All nine occupants escaped with minor injuries while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Mellon Bank

Harrisburg-Capital City Pennsylvania

The approach to Harrisburg-Capital City Airport was completed in poor weather conditions. After touchdown on a wet runway, the crew encountered difficulties to decelerate and the captain eventually decided to make a sharp turn to avoid an overrun. The aircraft veered off runway, lost its undercarriage and came to a halt. While all eight occupants were uninjured, the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

July 11, 1967 2 Fatalities

Honeywell

Le Center Minnesota

The crew departed Minneapolis-St Paul Airport for a local training mission. En route, while in cruising altitude, the airplane went into an uncontrolled descent until it crashed in an open field located 5 miles southeast of Le Center. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.

Safety Profile

Reliability

Reliable

This rating is based on historical incident data and may not reflect current operational safety.

Primary Operators (by incidents)

Celanese Mexicana2
Helicol Colombia - Helicopteros Nacionales de Colombia2
Malu Aviation2
Skyways - Kenya2
African Commuter Services1
Air Provence International1
Airwave Transport1
Collins Radio Company1
Conoco1
General Aviation Inc.1