# Accident 20040130003519A: Lear 35A, Akron, OH, January 30, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 30, 2004, 12:40 local time
- Place: Akron, OH
- Airport: Akron-Canton Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Ground Taxi, Other Airplane
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: E18A
- Location: 40.9161° N, 81.4422° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.9161&lon=-81.4422&mi=10
- Aircraft: N39WA (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: LEAR 35A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 7,000 total, 50 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC04LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC04LA062) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040130003519A

## Narrative

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

(-23) AIRCRAFT WAS ON PART 91 REPOSITIONING FLIGHT FROM ANOTHER CITY TO BEGIN 135 LEG. AIRCRAFT LANDED ON DRY RUNWAY AND TAXIED ON TAXIWAY WHICH WAS 85% CLEAR AND SANDED TO THE RAMP. RAMP WAS IN NON-MOVEMENT AREA OF AIRPORT WHICH HAD RECEIVED LITTLE SUNLIGHT AFTER A PERIOD OF HEAVY FREEZING RAIN. RAMP WAS COVERED WITH 1 INCH OF SMOOTH CLEAR ICE. SAND HAD BEEN PLACED DOWN BUT DID NOT STICK DUE TO LACK OF RADIANT HEAT AND BLEW AWAY DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND PROP/JET BLAST OF EARLIER ARRIVAL AIRCRAFT. AT TIME OF ARRIVAL A SPECIAL WEATHER REPORT WAS ISSUED WITH THE WINDS INCREASING SIGNIFICANTLY TO 300 DEGREES AT 16 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 28. THIS WIND DIRECTION GAVE THE AIRCRAFT A 28 KNOT TAILWIND COMPONENT AS IT ENTERED THE ICY RAMP FROM THE DRY TAXIWAY. AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO BRAKE AND INCREASED SPEED ON THE DOWNSLOPING RAMP UNTIL IT WEATHERVANED, TURNING LEFT AND STRIKING A RETAINING WALL, RESULTING IN COLLAPSE OF LEFT MAIN AND NOSE GEAR AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO SPAR #5 AND SPAR #7. BOTH PILOTS WERE ATP RATED IN AIRCRAFT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE ONLY WITNESS, THE MARSHALLER, DID NOT CITE THEIR TAXI SPEED IN HIS REPORT AS BEING CONTRIBUTING AND STATED THEY LOST CONTROL ON ENTERING THE ICY RAMP.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC04LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC04LA062), Jan 30, 2004: Gates Learjet 35A (N39WA), Akron, OH, substantial damage. Probable cause: An improperly maintained ramp area, which resulted in a loss of airplane control while taxiing on ice. Factors in this accident were, high winds, and the down-sloping ramp.

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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