Incident Overview

Date: Thursday 21 October 1965
Aircraft Type: Learjet 23
Owner/operator: Lear Jet Corp.
Registration Number: N804LJ
Location: 13 km ENE of Jackson, MI – ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: Unknown
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Component Affected: Aircraft Electrical Power SystemAircraft Electrical Power System
Investigating Agency: CABCAB
Category: Accident
A Learjet 23 carrying a company official from Wichita, Kansas to Detroit, Michigan, experienced a sudden and uncontrolled descent near Jackson, Michigan, resulting in a ground impact. The flight was aborted due to a reported loss of attitude reference caused by electrical power failure during turbulent conditions.A Learjet 23 carrying a company official from Wichita, Kansas to Detroit, Michigan, experienced a sudden and uncontrolled descent near Jackson, Michigan, resulting in a ground impact. The flight was aborted due to a reported loss of attitude reference caused by electrical power failure during turbulent conditions.

Description

The Learjet 23 was operated by the Lear Jet Corporation to transport a company official from Wichita, Kansas to Detroit, Michigan, USA. The company official remained in Detroit. Following a weather briefing, the crew filed an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan for the return trip to Wichita. They estimated a time en route of 2:40 hours with 3:30 hours of fuel on board, and requested a cruising altitude of Flight Level (FL) 410. N804LJ departed on runway 03L at 19:25. At 1931 the flight reported level at FL 250. At 19:32 they were assigned a new frequency for communications with Cleveland ARTCC. The acknowledgement of the new frequency was the last transmission received from N804LJ. The aircraft entered a steep descent out of FL250 and impacted the ground near Jackson, Michigan. PROBABLE CAUSE: “A loss of adequate attitude reference resulting from AC electrical power failure under night, turbulent conditions.”

Primary Cause

Loss of adequate attitude reference resulting from AC electrical power failure under night, turbulent conditions.Loss of adequate attitude reference resulting from AC electrical power failure under night, turbulent conditions.

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