Narrative:
During alignment after take-off the pilots noticed some lapwings on the runway. Immediately after rotation from runway 25, a glow appeared near the left engine and then a flame at the rear of the aircraft. The crew performed a short visual manoeuvre. The electrical and hydraulic circuits rapidly became inoperative. The aircraft landed with its gear retracted after 1 min, 40 sec of flight, within airport territory near the point of departure, and slid approx 400 m. It was completely destroyed by impact and fire.
The initial cause of the accident was uncontained damage to the left engine, which set the tail compartment on fire. Dead birds were strewn on the ground in the takeoff area. Pieces of the left engine, including the fan disc, were found along the initial climb path.
The accident was the result of a combination of two events:
- massive ingestion of birds of the crested lapwing species by the left engine after rotation,
- uncontrolled damage to this engine due to the failure of its fan rotor overspeed protection system, which led to the aircraft fire. The rapid development of the fire caused the aircraft to lose control in the final phase of the emergency landing attempt.
Uncontained engine failure
Loss of control
accident date: 20-01-1995
type: Dassault Falcon 20E
registration: F-GHLN
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Friday 20 January 1995 |
| Time: | 17:31 |
| Type: |  Dassault Falcon 20E |
| Operator: | Leadair UniJet |
| Registration: | F-GHLN |
| MSN: | 255 |
| First flight: | 1972 |
| Engines: | 2 General Electric CF700-2D2 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 10 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Paris-Le Bourget Airport (LBG) ( France)
|
| Crash site elevation: | 66 m (217 feet) amsl |
| Phase: | Initial climb (ICL) |
| Nature: | Int'l Non Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Paris-Le Bourget Airport (LBG/LFPB), France |
| Sibiu Airport (SBZ/LRSB), Romania | |
| Flightnumber: | 001N |
During alignment after take-off the pilots noticed some lapwings on the runway. Immediately after rotation from runway 25, a glow appeared near the left engine and then a flame at the rear of the aircraft. The crew performed a short visual manoeuvre. The electrical and hydraulic circuits rapidly became inoperative. The aircraft landed with its gear retracted after 1 min, 40 sec of flight, within airport territory near the point of departure, and slid approx 400 m. It was completely destroyed by impact and fire.
The initial cause of the accident was uncontained damage to the left engine, which set the tail compartment on fire. Dead birds were strewn on the ground in the takeoff area. Pieces of the left engine, including the fan disc, were found along the initial climb path.
Probable Cause:
The accident was the result of a combination of two events:
- massive ingestion of birds of the crested lapwing species by the left engine after rotation,
- uncontrolled damage to this engine due to the failure of its fan rotor overspeed protection system, which led to the aircraft fire. The rapid development of the fire caused the aircraft to lose control in the final phase of the emergency landing attempt.
Classification:
Bird strike Uncontained engine failure
Loss of control
Sources:
» ICAO Adrep Summary 4/1995 (#10)Photos
accident date: 20-01-1995
type: Dassault Falcon 20E
registration: F-GHLN
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 Paris-Le Bourget Airport to Sibiu Airport as the crow flies is 1650 km (1031 miles).
Distance from Paris-Le Bourget Airport to Sibiu Airport as the crow flies is 1650 km (1031 miles).
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.
languages: 
France
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Falcon 20
- 514 built
- 26th loss
- 10th fatal accident
- The worst accident (at the time)
- 2nd worst accident (currently)
France- 65th worst accident (at the time)
- 68th worst accident (currently)
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