What happened
On May 15, 2017, a Learjet 35A, registration N452DA, crashed while performing a circling approach to runway 1 at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. The aircraft, which was being operated by Trans-Pacific Air Charter, LLC, as a positioning flight from Philadelphia, struck a commercial structure and a parking area. The impact and subsequent fire destroyed the aircraft, and both the pilot and the co-pilot were killed. There were no injuries reported among people on the ground.
The flight was the final leg of the crew's daily schedule. During the approach, the aircraft was significantly past the final approach fix and was unable to properly align with the landing runway. Despite the aircraft failing to meet stabilized approach criteria, the pilot continued the maneuver. While attempting to turn toward the runway, the aircraft's airspeed dropped below required standards, leading to an aerodynamic stall and the subsequent crash near the runway threshold.
Findings
Investigation into the accident revealed several procedural failures and deviations from company policy. The crew failed to update weather information within the required three-hour window before departure and submitted a flight plan containing incompatible altitude and duration data, indicating poor preflight preparation. Additionally, the crew did not perform a required approach briefing.
Operational errors were also noted regarding crew roles and workload. The second-in-command acted as the pilot flying despite lacking the experience level required by company regulations. The pilot-in-command spent much of the flight providing coaching to the second-in-command, which likely diverted his attention from essential monitoring duties, such as managing checklists and flight management system waypoints. The crew's failure to properly configure navigation equipment for the approach clearance resulted in them flying at altitudes much higher than prescribed. Ultimately, a combination of these errors led to a loss of situational awareness and the inability to execute a necessary go-around.