Incident Overview

Date: Tuesday 12 June 2001
Aircraft Type: Learjet 25D
Owner/operator: Avcon Industries
Registration Number: N333CG
Location: Salina Airport, KS (SLN) – ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Component Affected: Aft elevator sector clevisAft elevator sector clevis
Investigating Agency: NTSBNTSB
Category: Accident
A flight from Newton City experienced a near-miss due to a high-risk test flight involving a high-speed dive and subsequent loss of control. The pilot reported rapid yoke vibration and loss of elevator control at approximately 24,000 feet, leading to a diversion to Salina. The aircraft then impacted a perimeter fence and berm during final approach, resulting in a short landing.A flight from Newton City experienced a near-miss due to a high-risk test flight involving a high-speed dive and subsequent loss of control. The pilot reported rapid yoke vibration and loss of elevator control at approximately 24,000 feet, leading to a diversion to Salina. The aircraft then impacted a perimeter fence and berm during final approach, resulting in a short landing.

Description

The flight departed Newton City at 11:55 on a test flight which was to establish a performance baseline prior to a modification to the aircraft. The purpose of the modification was the development of a new supplemental type certificate (STC). The test flight profile was to execute a high-speed dive to verify and establish the vibration and buffeting characteristics of the unmodified aircraft prior to a delta-fin modification to the aft-fuselage. The test flight was determined to be a high risk. The flight crew reported that during the high-speed descent, at approximately 24,000 feet, the control yoke began to vibrate rapidly for approximately 3-5 seconds after which elevator control was lost. After declaring an emergency the crew diverted to Salina. Pitch control was established by using horizontal stabilizer pitch trim. The flight crew reported that during final approach to the runway the aircraft nose began to drop and that the flying pilot was unable to raise the nose using a combination of horizontal stabilizer trim and engine power. The aircraft landed short of the runway, striking an airport perimeter fence and a berm. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The PIC’s delayed remedial action during the elevator system oscillation, resulting in the failure of the aft elevator sector clevis due to reverse bending fatigue caused by vibration, and subsequent loss of elevator control. Factors contributing to the accident were high and gusting winds, the crosswind, the airport perimeter fence, and the berm.”

Primary Cause

Failure of the aft elevator sector clevis due to reverse bending fatigue caused by vibration, resulting in loss of elevator control.Failure of the aft elevator sector clevis due to reverse bending fatigue caused by vibration, resulting in loss of elevator control.

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