Learjet 36

Strategic Airborne Operations

Phoenix Air Group

The pilot (PIC) reported that during acceleration for takeoff (approximately V1 [takeoff decision speed]) the airplane collided with an elk. The PIC reported that after the collision, he applied wheel brakes and deployed the airplane's drag chute, however, the airplane continued off the departure end of the runway. The airplane came to rest in a marshy bog approximately 50 feet beyond the departure threshold. Currently, approximately 15,000 feet of the airport's perimeter is bordered with animal control fence. The airport recently received a FAA Aviation Improvement Program (AIP) Grant that will provide funding for an additional 9,000-feet of fence. Airport officials stated that the fencing project should be completed by summer of 2003. At the completion of the project, game control fencing will encompass the entire airport perimeter. The U.S. Government Airport/Facilities Directory (A/FD) contains the following remarks for the Astoria Regional Airport: "Herds of elk on and in the vicinity of airport..."

Chrysler Aviation

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.

Executive Jet Aviation - Switzerland

The aircraft departed Geneva-Cointrin on an ambulance flight to Accra with an intermediate stop in Zarzaitine, carrying two doctors and two pilots. The goal of the mission was to repatriate a patient to London via Geneva after a crew change. While descending to runway 05 at Zarzaitine-In Amenas Airport by night, the crew was informed by ATC that runway 23 was in service. The crew followed a circuit and started the descent to runway 23. On final approach in low visibility (dark night), the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft struck the top of a sand dune. The undercarriage were torn off and the aircraft crash landed 3 km short of runway, bursting into flames. Both doctors escaped uninjured, the female copilot was slightly injured and the captain was seriously injured. The aircraft was totally destroyed.

Phoenix Air Group

The crew was executing the ILS approach and had turned back inbound on the procedure turn to the outer marker when the copilot stated they were 5.9 DME in a calm voice with no indication of a problem. Impact with the ground occurred at about 5.9 DME, approximately 10 statute miles from the airport, while the aircraft was in a slight nose up, slight right wing down attitude, with a high vertical rate of descent, and a high forward speed. The aircraft was demolished. No evidence of a pre-impact failure or malfunction of the aircraft or its systems could be found. The copilot was not rated in the aircraft and had logged a total of 7.9 hours of jet time in his personal logbook.

Air Traffic

Struck the ground and crashed on approach to Sebha Airport. All three occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Ferruzzi

The airplane departed London on an executive flight to Forli, carrying two pilots and one passenger, Mr. Serafino Ferruzzi, founder and owner of the Italian Group Ferruzzi S.p.A. The approach to Forli Airport was initiated by night and poor weather conditions. On short final, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the left wing struck a tv antenna located on the top of a hill, some 2,300 meters short of runway 12 threshold. The airplane lost height and crashed on a house. All three people on board the aircraft as well as two people in the house were killed. At the time of the accident, the horizontal visibility was limited to 300 metres due to heavy rain falls and the runway 12 ILS glideslope was inoperative. Crew: Enzo Villani, pilot, Roberto Cases, copilot. Passenger: Serafino Ferruzzi. Those killed on ground were Fiorella Ricci et Libero Ricci.

Arab Wings

On 22 September this aircraft, with the same crew and passengers, arrived on a charter flight Beirut - Amman at 1515 GMT. Although originally scheduled for departure at 0900 GMT on the 23rd, further planning advanced the departure to 0700 GMT and this crew volunteered to make the flight as the scheduled crew could not be notified of the change in timing. The aircraft was topped off with 260 U.S. gal of fuel at 1830 GMT, making the fuel load equivalent to 4,500 lb. There was approximately 200 lb of fuel in the fuselage tank. The fuelling top-off on the 22nd and morning departure were supervised by a licensed Arab Wing mechanic. The first officer undertook an outside pre-flight inspection and then called the tower for take-off data. The right-hand engine was started at approximately 0700. Start-up clearance was requested and at 0703 the crew were notified that start-up clearance would be at 0715. When the tower advised the crew they could start up, the captain requested taxi clearance, and during taxi-out was advised to slow down. Owing to coordination of traffic beyond the borders of Jordan, the crew were informed that take-off clearance would be 0729 or later. At 0724 request for take-off was again made and the tower advised that clearance was 0729. At 0729 the aircraft was cleared by the tower for take-c~ff and after this was acknowledged, no further voice communication was carried out from the aircraft. The time lapse from acknowledgement of clearance to "Mayday" call from a taxiing Academy aircraft was 55 seconds.The referenced aircraft was seen after take-off from runway 24 to suddenly drop the left wing while in climb attitude, make a recovery to wings level and then continue in a slow roll to the right beginning descent. During this descending roll the nose of the aircraft was observed tu oscillate once or twice as if forward stick pressure was being exerted. Recovery was not effected and the aircraft impacted on the cockpit area in an inverted position on hard ground approximately 8 ft north of the parallel taxiway. Disintegration began at this point with the aircraft separating into three major sections; cockpit and cabin, aft fuselage from fuel tank bulkhead to vertical and horizontal stabilizer, and wings with gear extended. Fuel ignition was generated at ground impact of the right wing tip tank and fire contributed to damage to the aft fuselage as well as to wing leading edges. The cockpit and cargo floor came to rest approximately 350 ft along the ground path with the aft fuselage section being stopped by a tree 375 ft along the ground path. The wings landed inverted at a distance of 573 ft with leading edge facing towards the main wreckage. The accident was not survivable owing to the impact forces experienced.