Flight History
On May 5, 1980, an unmodified Gates Learjet 23, registration N866JS, operated by Kennedy Flite Center of Richmond, Virginia, departed Richmond about 2128 for a purported crew training flight. The pilot had filed three instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plans: the first from Richmond to Louisville (1+00 hour, pilot and copilot aboard), the second from Louisville to Gainesville (1+29 hours, pilot, copilot, and six passengers), and the third from Gainesville to Richmond (1+10 hours, pilot and copilot). All plans requested flight level 410.
The aircraft arrived in Louisville at 2228 after a routine flight, where it was refueled with 386 gallons of Jet A fuel. The six passengers, friends of the copilot, boarded, and the flight departed for Gainesville at 2315. After a routine flight, it arrived at Gainesville Regional Airport at 0044 on May 6. The passengers deboarded, and fuel tanks were topped off with 404 gallons of Jet A fuel. The aircraft departed Gainesville at 0152.
En Route and Approach
The flight climbed to FL 410 and proceeded normally. At 0257, during descent, the aircraft was handed off to Richmond approach control at 14,000 feet. The controller provided current weather and wind conditions and told the flightcrew to expect a visual approach to runway 2. The crew requested an instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 33, which was granted. The approach controller vectored the aircraft to the ILS final approach course, outside the outer marker, at 2,000 feet.
At 0308, the aircraft was turned over to the local control tower operator. Radio communication was established, and the aircraft was cleared to land at 0308:41. While on final approach about 2 miles from the runway, the pilot requested a wind check; the controller responded that winds were calm. About 0311:10, the crew requested the sequenced flashing approach lights be turned down, but the transmission was garbled. The controller dimmed the lights when the aircraft was about 0.5 mile from the runway.
Accident Sequence
The tower controller stated that the aircraft's flightpath appeared higher than normal and that N866JS seemed to float down the runway at about 50 feet altitude. He saw the wingtip lights rocking back and forth, the nose rising, and the aircraft starting to roll. He reached for the crash phone upon seeing the wings rock due to safety concerns. He then saw a ball of fire on runway 33 and sounded the crash alert at 0311:58.
A Virginia Air National Guard security guard near the parking ramp witnessed the accident. He stated the aircraft was a bit high on approach but descended to a normal touchdown attitude and altitude with engines winding down. He did not hear tire screech typical of touchdown. Instead, the aircraft yawed right, the nose rose, and it started to roll to the right. The roll continued to inverted, accompanied by a buildup of engine noise. The aircraft struck the ground inverted, caught fire, and exploded.
Another security guard at the entrance to the Air National Guard base observed the approach and thought the aircraft was landing farther down the runway than normal. He did not hear touchdown but heard a sudden rise of engine noise and saw a white light followed by an orange fireball and flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed and both pilots were killed.
Probable Cause
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain proper airspeed and aircraft attitude while transitioning from final approach through flare to touchdown. The low-speed/high angle-of-attack flight condition precipitated wing rolloff, wingtip strikes, and ultimate loss of aircraft control. The pilot's improper technique during roundout may have been due to fatigue, his limited knowledge, training, and experience regarding the flight characteristics of the Learjet aircraft, and distraction caused by concern over the intensity of the approach lighting.