What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On February 03, 2001, at 0850 central standard time, a british aerospace hs.125-700A Hawker jet airplane, N190WC, was substantially damaged when its left wing distorted during a normal descent into New Orleans, Louisiana. The airplane was registered to and operated by walker aviation, inc. of jackson, Mississippi. The airline transport pilot in command (PIC), the airline transport pilot second in commad (SIC) and their passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and its is unknown if a flight plan was filed for the 14 code of federal regulations part 91 business flight. The flight originated from jackson, Mississippi, at an unknown time. The PIC stated that they were flying at 4000 feet MSL over lake pontchartrain when the flight crew heard a bang. The pilots thought that they hadexperienced a bird strike and they asked a mechanic, who was on board the flight, to look at the wings. The mechanic reported to the flight crew that the left wing skin and fence were distorted. The flight landed uneventfully at New Orleans, Lakefront. Post flight examination of the left wing revealed that the left wings fuel vent was blocked with duct tape, and the wet wing fuel tank had collapsed. The PIC stated that the fuel tanks had been repaired and pressure tested prior to the flight. The PIC added that after the pressure test, the mechanic who repaired hte fuel tank, removed the tape from the right wing's fuel vent; however, they both failed to notice the duct tape over the left wings fuel vent.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON FEBRUARY 03, 2001, AT 0850 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A BRITISH AEROSPACE HS.125-700A HAWKER JET AIRPLANE, N190WC, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN ITS LEFT WING DISTORTED DURING A NORMAL DESCENT INTO NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY WALKER AVIATION, INC. OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC), THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT SECOND IN COMMAD (SIC) AND THEIR PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND ITS IS UNKNOWN IF A FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 BUSINESS FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, AT AN UNKNOWN TIME. THE PIC STATED THAT THEY WERE FLYING AT 4000 FEET MSL OVER LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN WHEN THE FLIGHT CREW HEARD A BANG. THE PILOTS THOUGHT THAT THEY HADEXPERIENCED A BIRD STRIKE AND THEY ASKED A MECHANIC, WHO WAS ON BOARD THE FLIGHT, TO LOOK AT THE WINGS. THE MECHANIC REPORTED TO THE FLIGHT CREW THAT THE LEFT WING SKIN AND FENCE WERE DISTORTED. THE FLIGHT LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AT NEW ORLEANS, LAKEFRONT. POST FLIGHT EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT WING REVEALED THAT THE LEFT WINGS FUEL VENT WAS BLOCKED WITH DUCT TAPE, AND THE WET WING FUEL TANK HAD COLLAPSED. THE PIC STATED THAT THE FUEL TANKS HAD BEEN REPAIRED AND PRESSURE TESTED PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. THE PIC ADDED THAT AFTER THE PRESSURE TEST, THE MECHANIC WHO REPAIRED HTE FUEL TANK, REMOVED THE TAPE FROM THE RIGHT WING'S FUEL VENT; HOWEVER, THEY BOTH FAILED TO NOTICE THE DUCT TAPE OVER THE LEFT WINGS FUEL VENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.