What happened
During a touch-and-go maneuver at an airport, the Learjet 35 approached runway 4 on a left base. Witnesses observed the aircraft touch down on the runway and subsequently attempt to take off again. During the landing phase, the aircraft drifted to the right of the runway centerline before making a sharp left turn to realign. During this maneuver, the aircraft slightly overshot the runway to the left and performed a sharp right turn to touch down.
Upon touchdown, the pilot noted the aircraft lurching to the side while traveling at 126 knots. The pilot attempted to abort the landing by applying full power; however, the engines failed to develop sufficient thrust. The aircraft subsequently lifted off the ground at an altitude of approximately 30 to 40 feet, exhibiting a wobbling motion at low airspeed. The aircraft crossed a highway at a low altitude with the right wing low, struck wires, and entered a field where it caught fire. There were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries reported in the provided text.
Findings
Investigation of the engine components revealed significant discrepancies in the thrust reverser settings. The left thrust reverser translator was in the deployed position with blocker doors fully open and both pneumatic latches unlocked. The right thrust reverser translator was also deployed, but with the blocker doors closed and only the left pneumatic latch unlocked.
Inadvertent thrust reverser deployment was a critical factor in the loss of control. According to existing Airworthiness Directives and manufacturer training from Lear Jet and FlightSafety International, thrust reversers should only be used for full-stop landings and must not be used during touch-and-go or balked landings. The pilot acknowledged awareness of these limitations but stated that once the reversers had deployed, he felt committed to landing.