Accident Gates Learjet 35A N780A, Tuesday 20 September 1983

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Date:	Tuesday 20 September 1983
Time:	08:00 LT
Type:	Gates Learjet 35A
Owner/operator:	Aluminum Company Of America
Registration:	N780A
MSN:	35A-302
Total airframe hrs:	2025 hours
Engine model:	GARRETT TFE-731-2-2B
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 9
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Massena, NY - United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Executive
Departure airport:	West Mifflin, PA (AGC
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
PASSENGERS DESCRIBED TOUCHDOWN AS FAST & LONG WITH NO ENG NOISE ASSOCIATED WITH REVERSE THRUST IMMEDIATELY AFTER TOUCHDOWN. THE ACFT RAN OFF THE END OF THE RWY & THE NOSE GEAR SEPARATED. ACCORDING TO THE CREW THE PLT INITIATED THE THRUST REVERSERS AFTER TOUCHDOWN, HOWEVER, THE PINS DID NOT REMOVE & THE THRUST LEVERS WERE RESTORED. AS BRAKING WAS EMPLOYED, THE THRUST REVERSERS WERE RE-INITIATED. THE PINS REMOVED & FULL REVERSE WAS APPLIED. BY THIS TIME THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RWY REMAINING TO INITIATE A GO-AROUND. THE SQUAT SWITCH RELAY PANEL PREVENTS OPERATION OF THE THRUST REVERSER SYSTEM UNTIL THE SQUAT SWITCHES ARE IN THE GROUND MODE. THE GROUND SPOILERS WERE NOT DEPLOYED.

Probable Cause:

Accident investigation: