Links   Media   Travel   Airports   Maps   Weather   Slides   Archive

Navy contractor jet was on fire before deadly California crash

10.05.2023/ 07:49 LT
San Clemente Island, California - USA

Aviation Investigation Final Report

A Phoenix Air Group GATES LEAR JET 36A, N56PA, with callsign FENIX01, was destroyed when it crashed into the sea about a mile southwest off San Clemente Island, California. The three occupants were killed.

The airplane departed Point Mugu Naval Air Station (NTD) at 07:23 as the lead airplane in formation with a second Learjet airplane utilizing the call signs FENIX01 (N56PA) and FENIX02 (N544PA). The flight proceeded south towards San Clemente Island with the FENIX02 flying in close formation with FENIX01. The purpose of the flight was to participate in training exercises with the United States Navy in Warning Area 291 (W291). There were three civilian crewmembers onboard each airplane.

Shortly after entering the training area at 15,000 ft mean sea level (msl) the wingman positioned on the right side of the accident airplane, observed the flaps on the accident airplane were partially extended. They notified the pilot of the accident airplane who acknowledged the radio call. The wingman then observed the flaps retract and observed white or gray colored “smoke or gas” coming from the left aft side of the airplane. The pilot in the accident airplane then radioed that they detected an odor in the cabin. Seconds later, the wingman observed red fluid on the underside of the tail cone followed by flames coming from around the aft equipment bay (tail cone) access door. They informed the accident pilots that their airplane was on fire and the accident pilot declared an emergency along with their intentions to land at a nearby airfield on the island. The wingman took over leading the formation and maneuvered in front of the accident airplane. The wingman last observed and heard radio transmissions from the accident airplane a short time later as they descended through about 7000 ft msl. The flight was above an overcast cloud layer that obstructed the view of the island at that time. Recorded ADS-B data showed that the accident airplane subsequently made a series of descending turns before the data ended.

The airplane wreckage was located underwater about 4 miles northwest of the last ADS-B data point. The wreckage was highly fragmented, and the debris field extended several hundred feet along the ocean floor. Salvage operations were able to recover about 40 percent of the airplane wreckage.
Observed fire and heat damage patterns indicate the fire likely started in proximity to the where the pressurized fuel motive flow line connected to the firewall fitting where the missing b-nut was located. A leak from the pressurized motive flow line would have sustained and allowed an uncontrollable fire to develop. The sustained fire likely affected controllability of the airplane and resulted in the pilots’ loss of control of the airplane.

Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be: The pilots’ loss of airplane control following a catastrophic fire that started on the left side of the aft equipment bay (tail cone). The fire likely initiated from a leak from the left fuel motive flow line due to a b-nut that loosened for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence.

Връзки   Медии   Пътуване   Летища   Карти   Време   Слайдове    Архив
Ссылки   СМИ   Туры/Путевки   Аэропорты   Карты   Погода   Слайды   Архив
Links   Media   Travel   Airports   Maps   Weather   Slides   Archive

10.05.2023 - AircrashConsult