ASN Aircraft accident Learjet C-21A (Learjet 35A) 84-0066 Decatur Airport, IL (DEC)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Monday 2 October 2006
Time:12:15
Type:Silhouette image of generic LJ35 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Learjet C-21A (Learjet 35A)
Operator:United States Air Force - USAF
Registration: 84-0066
MSN: 35-512
First flight: 1984
Engines: 2 Garrett TFE731-2-2B
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:Decatur Airport, IL (DEC) (   United States of America)
Phase: Landing (LDG)
Nature:Military
Departure airport:?
Destination airport:Decatur Airport, IL (DEC/KDEC), United States of America
Narrative:
The USAF Learjet was on a training flight. The pilot flying was undergoing aircraft commander upgrade training, flying a simulated single-engine approach to runway 24 at Decatur Airport (DEC). They were simulating the loss of the no. 2 engine. In anticipation of a touch-and-go, the pilot flying disengaged the yaw damper with the plane 10 to 20 feet above the runway. The instructor noticed the plane’s speed had unexpectedly dropped and called out "speed" twice. The pilot flying pulled back the no. 1 engine throttle, but the plane began to roll steeply to the right and the right wing-tip fuel tank struck the pavement. The nose then struck the runway, sending the jet into a skid across a grass infield then another runway before coming to a stop.

Probable Cause:

"There is clear and convincing evidence the primary cause of the mishap was the crew’s failure to take appropriate action after allowing the aircraft to get 15 knots [17 mph] slow over the runway threshold. Had either pilot taken proper action to go around upon seeing the airspeed bleeding away by advancing power on both engines, this mishap could have been avoided.

Classification:
Simulated engine failure
Loss of control

Sources:
» C-21 Accident Investigation Board completed (USAF - http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123052938)
» Air Force training jet crashes at Decatur Airport (Herald & Review, 3-10-2006)
» FAA


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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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