Incident Overview
Date: Friday 24 August 2001
Aircraft Type: Learjet 25
Owner/operator: Ameristar Jet Charter
Registration Number: N153TW
Location: 0,8 km SE of Ithaca-Tompkins County Airport, NY (ITH) –
ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: Initial climb
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Component Affected: The airplane’s flight control system.The airplane’s flight control system.
Investigating Agency: NTSBNTSB
Category: Accident
An airplane crashed in a wooded area after takeoff at night due to pilot error ? specifically, a failure to maintain a proper climb rate caused by spatial disorientation exacerbated by low visibility and cloud conditions.An airplane crashed in a wooded area after takeoff at night due to pilot error ? specifically, a failure to maintain a proper climb rate caused by spatial disorientation exacerbated by low visibility and cloud conditions.
Description
The airplane crashed and came to rest in a wooded area about 1/2 mile from the departure end of runway 32. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper climb rate while taking off at night, which was a result of spatial disorientation. Factors in the accident were the low visibility and cloud conditions, and the dark night.”
Primary Cause
Pilot’s failure to maintain a proper climb rate during takeoff at night, resulting from spatial disorientation.Pilot’s failure to maintain a proper climb rate during takeoff at night, resulting from spatial disorientation.Share on:
