What happened
Following takeoff to the east over the ocean, a twin-engine jet climbed to approximately 2,200 feet and reached a groundspeed of 200 knots. During this phase, the copilot notified air traffic control of an engine failure and requested radar vectors to return to the departure airport. Despite receiving instructions from the controller to turn southwest, the aircraft continued a gradual descent and a left turn toward the north, eventually flying parallel to the shoreline. The aircraft's speed decreased to 140 knots and its altitude dropped to 900 feet before it impacted the ocean roughly one mile from the coast.
During the emergency, the pilot expressed confusion to the copilot, stating he did not understand the situation and could not provide direction. The cockpit voice recorder revealed that the crew failed to utilize any checklists during normal operations or after the emergency was declared. Furthermore, the copilot, who was not qualified to serve as second-in-command, provided no assistance or identification of the specific malfunction.
Findings
Investigation of the wreckage indicated that the left engine's thrust reverser had become unlocked and partially or fully deployed during flight. Evidence from the engine's digital electronic engine control showed a reduction in N1 followed by a rise, consistent with the deployment of the reverser and the subsequent separation of a blocker door component. The crew did not follow the emergency procedures outlined in the flight manual supplement, which required placing the thrust reverser switch in the "EMER STOW" position and shutting down the engine.
The inadvertent deployment of the left engine's thrust reverser was the primary mechanical issue. While the aircraft remained controllable in its configuration, the pilot's performance was noted as highly deficient. The pilot failed to follow industry-standard checklist practices, was unprepared to manage the emergency, and did not direct the crew to the necessary procedures to stabilize the aircraft.