ASN Aircraft accident Learjet 25 N515VW Corban
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Thursday 17 April 1969
Time:10:26
Type:Silhouette image of generic LJ25 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Learjet 25
Operator:Volkswagen Pacific
Registration: N515VW
MSN: 25-013
First flight: 1968
Total airframe hrs:260
Engines: 2 General Electric CJ610-6
Crew:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Total:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:near Corban (   Switzerland)
Crash site elevation: 680 m (2231 feet) amsl
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature:Ferry/positioning
Departure airport:Genève-Cointrin Airport (GVA/LSGG), Switzerland
Destination airport:Basel/Mulhouse Airport (BSL/LFSB), France
Narrative:
Learjet N515VW took off from Geneva, Switzerland at 09:52 on a ferry flight to Basle-Mulhouse Airport, France where the jet was to undergo routine maintenance.
The en route part of the flight was uneventful. At 10:14 the crew contacted air traffic control at Basle-Mulhouse Airport and received the latest weather information.
Wind was from 260° at 6 knots, visibility 3 kilometers, 2/8 clouds at 150 meters, 7/8 clouds at 900 meters, pressure 1017 mb, runway in use: 16.
The controller then issued descent instructions to FL50 and later down to 2500 feet. At 10:20 the flight reported passing the Homburg beacon at 4000 feet. The controller requested the crew to report passing 3500 feet and report reaching the Outer Marker for the ILS approach. At 10:21 the flight reported reaching 2000 feet. There was no radio communication with the flight for the next three minutes and twenty seconds. The crew reported that they were going around, heading back towards the Homburg beacon because of problems with their radio magnetic indicators (RMI's). They reported climbing towards 3500 feet, but the controller instructed them to remain at 2500 feet because of other traffic at 3500 feet.
The Learjet continued south over the Jura mountains until it struck a forested hillside at an altitude of 2230 feet (680 m), 13,5 nautical miles (25 km) south of the airport.
The wreckage was found after three days.

Probable Cause:

CONCLUSION:
"The Commission has unanimously come to the conclusion that the accident was due to a collision with terrain that occurred during following a missed ILS approach procedure, interrupted due to difficulties of navigation."

Accident investigation:

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Investigating agency: CFEAA
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 2 years and 7 months
Accident number: No 1969/12-601
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain

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Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Genève-Cointrin Airport to Basel/Mulhouse Airport as the crow flies is 184 km (115 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the official accident report.

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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