LearJet 25B, EC-CKR, 13 August 1996

LearJet 25B, EC-CKR, 13 August 1996 AAIB Bulletin No: 9/96 Ref: EW/C96/8/6 Category: 1.1 Aircraft Type and Registration: LearJet 25B, EC-CKR No & Type of Engines: 2 General Electric CJ 6106-6 turbofan engines Year of Manufacture: 1974 Date & Time (UTC): 13 August 1996 at 0857 hours Location: RAF Northolt, Middlesex Type of Flight: Public Transport (Charter) Persons on Board: Crew: 2 Passengers: 1 Injuries: Crew: Passengers: Other: 1 (serious) 1 (minor) 1 (serious) 1 (minor) Nature of Damage: Major disruption of fuselage Commander's Licence: Airline Transport Pilot's Licence (Spanish) Commander's Age: 39 years Commander's Flying Experience: Estimated 5,000 hours (of which 2,500 hours were on type) Information Source: AAIB Inspector's Investigation History of the flight The crew designated for the charter flight took-off from theirhome base at Zaragoza in north-east Spain at approximately 0420hrs on the morning of the accident. Due to a fault in the directionalgyro (DG) system and the known requirement to fly a PrecisionApproach Radar (PAR) on arrival at RAF Northolt, the crew decidedto return to Zaragoza and change aircraft. The flight finallydeparted Zaragoza at 0525 hrs in the LearJet 25, EC-CKR, and flewto Palma de Mallorca Airport on the island of Mallorca in theBalearic Islands. At Palma de Mallorca the crew refuelled the aircraft and, aftertheir passenger had boarded, they departed at approximately 0645hrs on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan for theirdestination airfield, RAF Northolt. The flight to the UK was flownat FL 390 and was uneventful. After crossing the UK Flight Information Region (FIR) boundary,the aircraft was descended under radar control to transit to RAFNortholt via the Biggin Hill VOR beacon. Handover from the HeathrowDirector was effected with the aircraft descending from FL70 to4000 feet on a heading of 360º(M). Northolt Director thencleared the aircraft to continue its descent to 3000 feet andpassed the Northolt weather which was a surface wind of 340º/9kt, 12 km visibility, nil weather, cloud one octa at 1500 feet,5 octas at 2200 feet, temperature +16ºC and QFE 1010 mb.Shortly afterwards, the aircraft was instructed to turn onto thedown wind leg on a heading of 070ºM and advised of the minimafor the approach, the touchdown zone elevation and the fact thatthe procedure was based on a 3 1/2° glidepath to Runway 25. Due to the presence of priority traffic which was due to departNortholt at that time, the flight was extended down wind to adistance of 10 nm before being turned onto a heading of 160°M.This instruction was followed shortly afterwards by an instructionto turn onto 250°M and descend to 1800 feet to interceptthe final approach. At a range from the airfield of 9.5 nm, theaircraft was identified by the PAR controller and given a furtherturn onto a heading of 260°. Initially the aircraft was observedto be slightly high on the glide slope but this was correctedand at 3.5 nm it was on the glide slope. At this point the pilotwas asked to confirm that his landing gear was down and lockedas is normal procedure at Northolt. After some rephrasing of thisquestion, the landing gear was confirmed down, however duringthis exchange the aircraft was seen to deviate above the glidepath. At 2.5 nm, landing clearance was confirmed and the aircraftwas advised of the surface wind and the fact that there was a4 kt tailwind. The aircraft was also advised that it was abovethe glide path. At the decision altitude which was at approximatelyhalf a mile from the runway the aircraft was still above the glidepath although seen to be correcting to it. On arrival at the runway the aircraft was observed to land somedistance beyond the normal touchdown point. Towards the end ofthe landing roll it veered to the right and then swerved to theleft and overran the end of the runway. It collided with threelighting stanchions and continued in a south-westerly directiontowards the airfield boundary which is marked by a high chain-linkfence. After bursting through the boundary fence the aircraftran onto the A40 trunk road and was almost immediately in collisionwith a Ford Transit van on the east bound carriageway, and seriouslyinjuring its driver. The aircraft came to rest in the left handlane of the road with the van embedded in the right side of thefuselage immediately forward of the right wing. The accident was observed by the crew of an Air Ambulance Helicopterwhich was holding 2 nm south of Northolt awaiting clearance tocross the airfield en route. After receiving clearance to attendthe accident, the helicopter was landed some 50 metres from theaircraft on the airfield and the co-pilot, together with a doctorand a paramedic who were also on board, attended the accidentvictims. RAF Northolt Fire Service were rapidly in attendance and appliedfoam to the wreckage from which aviation fuel was leaking. Therewas no fire and all the accident victims were taken by ambulanceto nearby hospitals. The aircraft wreckage has been removed to the AAIB facility atFarnborough for detailed examination. Under existing Spanish airworthinessrequirements the aircraft, by virtue of its weight category, wasnot required to be equipped with flight recorders but recordingsof ATC exchanges and radar have been obtained for analysis. Underthe provisions of Annex 13 to the Convention on InternationalCivil Aviation, an accredited representative from the SpanishDirectorate General of Civil Aviation is participating in theinvestigation. Aircraft Accident Regulations Because the accident involved a civilian aircraft landing at amilitary airfield, the Secretaries of State for Defence and Transporthave agreed that the investigation falls within the scope of TheAir Navigation (Investigation of Air Accidents involving Civiland Military Aircraft or Installations) Regulations 1986. In accordancewith Regulation 10, notice is hereby given that the Chief Inspectorhas ordered an Inspector's Investigation into this accident andany persons who desire to make representations concerning thecircumstances or causes of the accident are invited to do so inwriting to the Chief Inspector within 21 days of the date of publicationof this Bulletin.

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LearJet 25B, EC-CKR, 13 August 1996

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LearJet 25B, EC-CKR, 13 August 1996

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