NTSB Identification: LAX04FA075
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, December 23, 2003 in Helendale, CA
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On December 23, 2003, at 0911 Pacific standard time, a Learjet 24B twin-turbine engine airplane, N600XJ, was destroyed when it departed controlled flight and impacted terrain near Helendale, California. The airline transport rated captain and the commercial rated co-pilot were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Pavair, Inc., Santa Monica, California, and was operated by Xtrajet, Inc., Santa Monica, under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site, and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed. The flight departed from Chino, California, at 0900, and was en route to Sun Valley, Idaho, to pickup passengers.
The flight departed Chino and was cleared to climb to flight level 29,000 feet (FL290). After reaching FL240, the flight crew requested to return to Chino. The air traffic controller asked if they needed to declare an emergency, and the flight crew said they did not. A few minutes later, the flight crew declared an emergency. That was the last communication received from the flight crew.
The accident site was located in high desert terrain approximately 3 miles southeast of Helendale. The accident site consisted of an impact crater located on the top of a ridgeline with an approximately circular debris field. The airplane was severely fragmented and the debris field encompassed an area measuring approximately 0.25 miles in diameter. The impact crater measured 43 feet by 17 feet and was 24-30 inches deep. The Learjet 24B wingspan is 43 feet 3 inches.
Investigators accounted for all flight controls at the accident site; however, they were severely damaged and flight control continuity could not be established. No remnants of flight instruments were found at the accident site. The engines fractured into numerous sections, which were scattered throughout the debris field.
The wreckage was collected and taken to a salvage facility for further examination at a later date.
Fonte: NTSB |
