# NTSB ATL83FA025: Gates Learjet 25, N47MJ, Elizabeth City, NC, November 6, 1982 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Field investigation · Final report - Date: November 6, 1982, 09:10 local (14:10 UTC) - Place: Elizabeth City, NC - Coordinates: 36.290279, -76.220649 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.2903&lon=-76.2206&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 11 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 6, 1983 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 70576 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL83FA025 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/70576/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL83FA025 ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Midair collision, cruise - normal - aircraft handling - improper, pilot in command (cause) - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total experience in type operation, pilot in command (contributing factor) - Midair collision, cruise - normal - aircraft handling - improper, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - clearance - not maintained, pilot of other aircraft (cause) - lack of total experience in type operation, pilot of other aircraft (contributing factor) - Loss of control - in flight, cruise - normal - horizontal stabilizer surface - distorted (cause) - flight control,elevator - jammed (cause) - Altitude deviation,uncontrolled, descent - uncontrolled - In flight collision with terrain/water, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - precautionary landing - performed, pilot in command - Main gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown - go-around - initiated, pilot in command - aborted takeoff - performed, pilot in command - landing gear,main gear - overload - landing gear,main gear - failure,total - landing gear,nose gear - overload - landing gear,nose gear - failure,total ## Analysis (aircraft 2) AFTER THE TWO ACFT WERE ESTABLISHED AT 14,000 FT DURING A TARGET TOWING OPERATION, N13MJ(LEAD ACFT) MAINTAINED STRAIGHT & LEVEL FLT ON AUTOPILOT WHILE N47MJ(CHASE) CAME UP ALONG THE LEFT SIDE TO OBSERVE THE TARGET ON THE LEFT WING. WHILE MOVING FORWARD & LOOKING OUT THE RIGHT WINDOW TO SEE A LIGHT ON THE TARGET, THE CHASE PLT LOST SIGHT OF THE LEAD ACFT. HE REDUCED PWR, & IN THE PROCESS OF BACKING AWAY, THE CHASE ACFT STRUCK THE TOP OF THE FLYING TAIL OF THE LEAD ACFT WITHITS RADOME JAMMING THE FLYING TAIL. THE LEAD ACFT PITCHED DOWN, LOST ABOUT 6,000 FT & THEN RECOVERED. DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING OF THE LEAD ACFT, IT PITCHED OVER WHEN THE GEAR WAS EXTENDED ON SHORT FINAL, STRUCK THE GROUND HARD SHORT OF THE RWY, BOUNCED, & STARTED PORPOISING. AS THE PLT ADDED POWER FOR A GO-AROUND, THE ACFT STARTED TO ROLL. PWR WAS REDUCED & ABOUT 5,000 FT DOWN THE RWY, THE GEAR COLLAPSED CAUSING THE ACFT TO VEER OFF THE RWY. THE PLT OF THE CHASE ACFT WAS NOT MILITARY TRAINED & HAD NO FORMAL FORMATION FLIGHT TRAINING. ## Analysis (aircraft 1) AFTER THE TWO ACFT WERE ESTABLISHED AT 14,000 FT DURING A TARGET TOWING OPERATION, N13MJ(LEAD ACFT) MAINTAINED STRAIGHT & LEVEL FLT ON AUTOPILOT WHILE N47MJ(CHASE) CAME UP ALONG THE LEFT SIDE TO OBSERVE THE TARGET ON THE LEFT WING. WHILE MOVING FORWARD & LOOKING OUT THE RIGHT WINDOW TO SEE A LIGHT ON THE TARGET, THE CHASE PLT LOST SIGHT OF THE LEAD ACFT. HE REDUCED PWR, & IN THE PROCESS OF BACKING AWAY, THE CHASE ACFT STRUCK THE TOP OF THE FLYING TAIL OF THE LEAD ACFT WITHITS RADOME JAMMING THE FLYING TAIL. THE LEAD ACFT PITCHED DOWN, LOST ABOUT 6,000 FT & THEN RECOVERED. DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING OF THE LEAD ACFT, IT PITCHED OVER WHEN THE GEAR WAS EXTENDED ON SHORT FINAL, STRUCK THE GROUND HARD SHORT OF THE RWY, BOUNCED, & STARTED PORPOISING. AS THE PLT ADDED POWER FOR A GO-AROUND, THE ACFT STARTED TO ROLL. PWR WAS REDUCED, & ABOUT 5,000 FT DOWN THE RWY, THE GEAR COLLAPSED CAUSING THE ACFT TO VEER OFF THE RWY. THE PLT OF THE CHASE ACFT WAS NOT MILITARY TRAINED & HAD NO FORMAL FORMATION FLIGHT TRAINING. ## Aircraft 1 - Registration: N47MJ (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: GATES LEARJET 25 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 004 - Airframe hours: 8300 - Engines: GE CJ610 2950 lbs thrust turbo jet - Damage: Minor damage - Operator: Duncan Aviation - Registered owner: Duncan Aviation - Departed: ECG, ELIZABETH CITY, NC - Destination: ECG, ELIZABETH CITY, NC - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: ECG ## Aircraft 2 - Registration: [N13MJ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N13MJ-1992-09-03), registration cancelled 1992-09-03, S/N 314 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GATES LEARJET 24D - Registry model: [Gates Lear Jet 24D](https://openairdocs.org/model/gates-lear-jet-24d) (registry code 5170311) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 314 - Airframe hours: 2415 - Engines: GE CJ610 2950 lbs thrust turbo jet - Damage: Substantial damage - Operator: Duncan Aviation - Registered owner: Duncan Aviation - Departed: ECG, ELIZABETH CITY, NC - Destination: ECG, ELIZABETH CITY, NC - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: ECG ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot, aircraft N47MJ; age 47; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 17,000 total, 4,500 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 24 hours - Pilot, aircraft N13MJ; age 34; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; flight hours: 7,500 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Temperature: 140 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.