# Incident 19970119005329I: Lear 36A, Aspen, CO, January 19, 1997

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 19, 1997, 10:15 local time
- Place: Aspen, CO
- Airport: Aspen-Pitkin Co - Sardy Field
- Phase of flight: To Aborted (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.2219° N, 106.8682° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at ASPEN-PITKIN COUNTY/SARDY FLD (ASE), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2219&lon=-106.8682&mi=10
- Aircraft: N978E (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: LEAR 36A
- Reported engine: GARRTT TFE73122B
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 15,839 total, 5,360 in this make and model, 105 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970119005329I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

NARRATIVE: ON JANUARY 19, 1997, LEAR JET N978E WAS ON TAKEOFF AT ASPEN, COLORADO (ASE). THE VARIABLE NOSE STEERING BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. THE PILOT IN COMMAND USED BRAKING AND ENGINE REVERSE AND COULD NOT MAINTAIN THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY TO THE RIGHT AND INTO THE SNOW. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TUGGED OUT OF THE SNOW TO A HEATED HANGAR. THE SNOW WAS REMOVED FROM THE WHEEL WELLS AND THE AIRCRAFT INSPECTED FOR DAMAGE. WITH THE CONCURRENCE OF LEAR JET AND THE MEL, THE AIRCRFT WAS FLOWN TO THE CENTENNIAL AIRPORT (APA). LEARJET AT APA FOUND THAT A WINCHESTER-TYPE PLUG WAS INTERMITTENT, CREATING INTERMITTENT POWER CONTROL OF THE VARIABLE NOSE STEERING. THE PLUG WAS REPLACED AND HIGH SPEED TAXI TEST WAS CONDUCTED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE. LEAR JET MAINTENANCE COMPLETED FAA FORM 8010-4, (MALFUNCTION OR DEFECT REPORT). IN THE COMMENT SECTION OF THE 8010-4, IT WAS RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE WINCHESTER-TYPE PLUG WITH A CANNON-TYPE PLUG, WHICH IS MORE DURABLE AND MORE RESISTANT TO MOISTURE AND CORROSION.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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