Aviation Accident Summary ATL83FA025

ELIZABETH CITY, NC, USA

Aircraft #1

N47MJ

GATES LEARJET 25

Aircraft #2

N13MJ

GATES LEARJET 24D

Analysis

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.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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