Incident Overview

Date: Monday 24 June 1974
Aircraft Type: Grumman G-1159 Gulfstream II
Owner/operator: IBM
Registration Number: N720Q
Location: near Kline, SC – ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: Take off
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Component Affected: Ground spoilers and flight spoilersGround spoilers and flight spoilers
Category: Accident
During a training flight, an electrical short circuit caused an unintended extension of the ground and flight spoilers, leading to loss of control and a dive into a swampy area. The ground spoilers likely deployed due to a hot electrical short in the spoiler extend circuitry. The left ground spoiler actuator failed, resulting in a loss of lateral control, and the full nosedown elevator trim tab position contributed to the loss of pitch control. The aircraft experienced a series of 360-degree rolls and then descended into a swampy area.During a training flight, an electrical short circuit caused an unintended extension of the ground and flight spoilers, leading to loss of control and a dive into a swampy area. The ground spoilers likely deployed due to a hot electrical short in the spoiler extend circuitry. The left ground spoiler actuator failed, resulting in a loss of lateral control, and the full nosedown elevator trim tab position contributed to the loss of pitch control. The aircraft experienced a series of 360-degree rolls and then descended into a swampy area.

Description

An electrical short circuit caused an unwanted extension of the ground and flight spoilers during a training flight. Control was lost; the aircraft made several 360 degree rolls and then dove into a swampy area. PROBABLE CAUSE: “An unwanted extension of the ground and flight spoilers, which resulted in a loss of control at an altitude from which recovery could not be made. The ground spoilers probably deployed because of a hot electrical short in the spoiler extend circuitry. Whereas the spoilers probably deployed symetrically, the left ground spoiler actuator failed in flight and caused a loss of lateral control. The subsequent logs of pitch control was caused by the full nosedown elevator trim tab position and the high aircraft speed.”

Primary Cause

An unwanted extension of the ground and flight spoilers, resulting in a loss of control at an altitude from which recovery could not be made.An unwanted extension of the ground and flight spoilers, resulting in a loss of control at an altitude from which recovery could not be made.

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