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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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November 6, 1982 · Gates Learjet 25 · N47MJ

Elizabeth City, NC

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
November 6, 1982
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (11 uninjured)
Location
Elizabeth City, NC
Aircraft
Gates Learjet 25
Tail Number
N47MJ
Operator
Duncan Aviation
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Minor
NTSB Number
ATL83FA025

After the two acft were established at 14,000 ft during a target towing operation, N13MJ (lead acft) maintained straight & level flt on autopilot while N47MJ (chase) came up along the left side to observe the target on the left wing. While moving forward & looking out the right window to see a light on the target, the chase plt lost sight of the lead acft. He reduced pwr, & in the process of backing away, the chase acft struck the top of the flying tail of the lead acft with its radome jamming the flying tail. The lead acft pitched down, lost about 6,000 ft & then recovered. During the emergency landing of the lead acft, it pitched over when the gear was extended on short final, struck the ground hard short of the rwy, bounced, & started porpoising. As the plt added power for a go-around, the acft started to roll. Pwr was reduced, & about 5,000 ft down the rwy, the gear collapsed causing the acft to veer off the rwy. The plt of the chase acft was not military trained & had no formal formation flight training.

Full Narrative

AFTER THE TWO ACFT WERE ESTABLISHED AT 14,000 FT DURING A TARGET TOWING OPERATION, N13MJ(LEAD ACFT) MAINTAINED STRAIGHT & LEVEL FLT ON AUTOPILOT WHILE N47MJ(CHASE) CAME UP ALONG THE LEFT SIDE TO OBSERVE THE TARGET ON THE LEFT WING. WHILE MOVING FORWARD & LOOKING OUT THE RIGHT WINDOW TO SEE A LIGHT ON THE TARGET, THE CHASE PLT LOST SIGHT OF THE LEAD ACFT. HE REDUCED PWR, & IN THE PROCESS OF BACKING AWAY, THE CHASE ACFT STRUCK THE TOP OF THE FLYING TAIL OF THE LEAD ACFT WITHITS RADOME JAMMING THE FLYING TAIL. THE LEAD ACFT PITCHED DOWN, LOST ABOUT 6,000 FT & THEN RECOVERED. DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING OF THE LEAD ACFT, IT PITCHED OVER WHEN THE GEAR WAS EXTENDED ON SHORT FINAL, STRUCK THE GROUND HARD SHORT OF THE RWY, BOUNCED, & STARTED PORPOISING. AS THE PLT ADDED POWER FOR A GO-AROUND, THE ACFT STARTED TO ROLL. PWR WAS REDUCED, & ABOUT 5,000 FT DOWN THE RWY, THE GEAR COLLAPSED CAUSING THE ACFT TO VEER OFF THE RWY. THE PLT OF THE CHASE ACFT WAS NOT MILITARY TRAINED & HAD NO FORMAL FORMATION FLIGHT TRAINING.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time09:10 EST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftGates Learjet 25
Tail NumberN47MJ
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageMinor
OperatorDuncan Aviation
Engines2
Engine TypeTurbojet
Engine DetailsGe · CJ610 · Turbojet · 2950 | Ge · CJ610 · Turbojet · 2950
Seats10

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (11 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured11
Total11
Crew 1Age 47 · First Class
Crew 2Age 34 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility7 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point14 C / 0 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg

Appendix: Source Data