What happened
On 13 April 2011, a Learjet 25B, registration ZS-MTD, was conducting a private instrument flight rule (IFR) flight from Lanseria International Airport in South Africa to Luderitz, Namibia. The crew, consisting of a pilot-in-command and a first officer, was accompanied by two passengers.
During the initial climb, the pilot-in-command disconnected the autopilot after it failed to maintain the assigned heading, opting to fly the aircraft manually. Upon reaching a cruise altitude of 43,000ft AMSL, the right engine suddenly experienced a flame-out. The pilot initiated an emergency descent to a lower flight level. Because the cabin altitude remained stable down to FL200, the crew did not need to use oxygen masks. Due to the high workload associated with manual flight, the pilot decided not to attempt a restart of the right engine during the descent.
As the aircraft approached runway 06L at Lanseria, it was noted to be high on the approach. The pilot selected full flaps and an indicated airspeed of approximately 150 knots. As the nose was lowered to continue the descent, the left wing dropped unexpectedly. Although the pilot applied full right aileron to stabilize the aircraft, the right wing tip made contact with the runway surface upon touchdown, causing minor damage to the wing tip tank.
The investigation
SACAA AIID examined the flight sequence, the mechanical state of the engines, and the pilot's decision-making process. The investigation confirmed that the pilot-in-command and first officer held valid licenses and medical certificates. The investigation also noted that the aircraft was subsequently ferried to Wonderboom aerodrome, where both engines were found to be operating normally with no evident defects.
Findings
- The flight was a private operation conducted under IFR during daylight hours.
- The autopilot was disconnected during climb-out because it failed to maintain the selected heading.
- The right engine flamed out at 43,000ft AMSL.
- The pilot elected not to attempt an engine restart due to the heavy workload of manual flight operations.
- There were no injuries to the two crew members or the two passengers.
- The incident resulted in minor damage to the lower skin of the right wing tip.