20200229022279A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Learjet 35A · Martinsburg, PA · February 29, 2020

Date: February 29, 2020 · 12:37 local
Place: Martinsburg, PA
Airport: Altoona Pa
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: CDNA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N721EC
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA20CA120
Reported as: Learjet 35A
Reported engine: AiResearch TFE731 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor

N721ECRegistered now · Learjet 35AS/N 355 · Built 1980 Airframe modelLearjet 35A Engine modelAiResearch TFE731 seriesTurbo-jet

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Pilot departed (abe) airport allentown, PA. En-route to Altoona Pa. (Aoo). Pilot was on the ILS runway 21. Pilot broke out in VFR conditions and was in the flair for landing.

Pilot was in the landing attitude when a gust of wind hit the aircraft from the right side. The aircraft veered to the left causing the left wing tip tank to strike the ground.

The pilot regained control of the aircraft and initiated a go around and noticed a fuel leak in the left tip tank.

The crew then diverted to latrobe pa ( arnold palmer regional airport klbe ) due to better weather conditions and landed uneventfully.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT DEPARTED (ABE) AIRPORT ALLENTOWN, PA. EN-ROUTE TO ALTOONA PA. (AOO). PILOT WAS ON THE ILS RUNWAY 21. PILOT BROKE OUT IN VFR CONDITIONS AND WAS IN THE FLAIR FOR LANDING.

PILOT WAS IN THE LANDING ATTITUDE WHEN A GUST OF WIND HIT THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE RIGHT SIDE. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT CAUSING THE LEFT WING TIP TANK TO STRIKE THE GROUND.

THE PILOT REGAINED CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND INITIATED A GO AROUND AND NOTICED A FUEL LEAK IN THE LEFT TIP TANK.

THE CREW THEN DIVERTED TO LATROBE PA ( ARNOLD PALMER REGIONAL AIRPORT KLBE ) DUE TO BETTER WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA20CA120Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportAltoona, PAThe pilot flying's improper lateral bank control during a go-around in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in the left-wing tip tank striking the runway.Feb 29, 2020 · Substantial damage