ASN Aircraft accident Cessna 525A CitationJet CJ2+ N525EG Memphis, IN
ASN logo
 

Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Friday 30 November 2018
Time:10:28
Type:Silhouette image of generic C25A model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Cessna 525A CitationJet CJ2+
Operator:Estoair LLC
Registration: N525EG
MSN: 525A-0449
First flight: 2009
Total airframe hrs:3306
Engines: 2 Williams International FJ44-3A
Crew:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Passengers:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Total:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:4 km (2.5 mls) WSW of Memphis, IN (   United States of America)
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature:Executive
Departure airport:Jeffersonville-Clark Regional Airport, IN (JVY/KJVY), United States of America
Destination airport:Chicago-Midway Airport, IL (MDW/KMDW), United States of America
Narrative:
A Cessna 525A CitationJet CJ2+ was destroyed when it impacted a wooded area near Memphis, Indiana, USA. All three occupants suffered fatal injuries.
The aircraft took off from runway 36 at Jeffersonville-Clark Regional Airport, Indiana, USA 10:24 hours local time into instrument meteorological conditions.
The airplane climbed to about 1,400 ft msl before it turned left onto a course of 330° and continued to climb. The autopilot was turned on at at 10:25:22.
At 10:25:39, the pilot was cleared up to 10000 ft. At 10:26:29, while the pilot was conducting the checklist, the controller instructed him to contact the Indianapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center; the pilot acknowledged.
Then, at 10:26:45, while the pilot was working the After Takeoff/Climb checklist, the airplane began to bank to the left at a rate of about 5° per second. The airplane maintained airspeed while it continued to climb for 12 seconds. At 10:26:48, the CVR recorded the airplane’s autopilot disconnect annunciation. About this time, the airplane was in about a 30° left bank. About 1 second later, the pilot stated, "whooooaaaaah." Over the next 8 seconds, the airplane’s EGPWS annunciated six "bank angle" alerts. At 10:26:57, the airplane reached its maximum altitude of about 6100 ft msl and then began to descend rapidly, in excess of 11000 ft per minute. At 10:26:58, the bank angle was about 70° left wing down, and within seven seconds, the airplane was near 90° left wing down.
An overspeed warning alert, which continued to the end of the flight. The pilot meanwhile issued a Mayday call: "mayday mayday mayday citation five two five echo golf is in an emergency descent unable to gain control of the aircraft."
At 10:27:18 the airplane was about 1,000 ft msl, with the airspeed about 380 kts and in a 53° left bank. Two seconds later it impacted a slightly rugged, wooded area, leaving a trail of small debris, as well as blackened trees at a distance of 12 km north-northwest of the airport.

The airplane was modified with a Tamarack Aerospace Group Active Technology Load Alleviation System (ATLAS) in May 2018. This system consists of added winglets and Tamarack Active Camber Surfaces (TACS), which are aerodynamic control surfaces mounted on the wing extensions that either hold their position in trail with the wing or symmetrically deploy trailing edge up or trailing edge down to alleviate structural loads.
The NTSB reported that it found several contact marks on the left-hand TACS and the associated control unit, consistent with full trailing edge up position at the time of ground impact.
Examination of the right TACS indicated that the it was in a neutral position at the time of ground impact.
Such an asymmetric deployment of the TACS, with the left TACS likely in a position consistent with trailing edge up and the right TACS likely in a position consistent with neutral, would have induced a left rolling moment to the airplane.
However, the accident roll rate of 5° per second was significantly less than the flight test data provided for a fully asymmetric TACS deflection at a critical failure initial condition. It is possible that the system was not experiencing a full asymmetric failure or that the full possible roll rate could not be induced because the airplane was not in the critical failure condition. The roll rate did change from negative to positive, and the roll angle did recover from 90° left wing down to about 53° left wing down before ground impact.
If an asymmetric TACS deflection caused the left roll, it is possible the pilot was able to roll the airplane back to the right but not enough to fully recover and arrest the descent.

Tamarack reported that it disagreed with the NTSB and that it intends to request the NTSB reconsider its finding.

Probable Cause:

Probable Cause: "The asymmetric deployment of the left wing load alleviation system for undetermined reasons, which resulted in an in-flight upset from which the pilot was not able to recover."

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: NTSB
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 3 years
Accident number: CEN19FA036
Download report: Final report

Classification:

Loss of control

Sources:
» ainonline.com
» AOPA.org
» Flightaware tracklog
» bonnercountydailybee.com


Photos

photo of Cessna-525A-CitationJet-CJ2-N525EG
accident date: 30-11-2018
type: Cessna 525A CitationJet CJ2+
registration: N525EG
photo of Cessna-525A-CitationJet-CJ2-N525EG
accident date: 30-11-2018
type: Cessna 525A CitationJet CJ2+
registration: N525EG
photo of Cessna-525A-CitationJet-CJ2-N525EG
accident date: 30-11-2018
type: Cessna 525A CitationJet CJ2+
registration: N525EG
photo of Cessna-525A-CitationJet-CJ2-N525EG
accident date: 30-11-2018
type: Cessna 525A CitationJet CJ2+
registration: N525EG
 

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 Jeffersonville-Clark Regional Airport, IN to Chicago-Midway Airport, IL as the crow flies is 414 km (259 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.

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: languages

Share

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org