- Date
- October 11, 2011, 23:00 local (Oct 12, 2011, 03:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lafayette, IN
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N64MGLearjet 60
- Defining event
- Taxi-to runway: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report December 27, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-Indianapolis Flight Standards
- FAA report
- 20111011023189A
- Case key
- 82061
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to taxi the airplane across an unpaved area after the nosewheel inadvertently departed the ramp pavement.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot stated that he was taxiing from the ramp area with the taxi lights on. He said that the edge of the ramp was not marked, and before he could complete a turn, the nosewheel departed the pavement. He attempted to taxi across the grass area to the parallel taxiway about 50 feet from the ramp. However, the airplane struck a drainage ditch located between the ramp and the taxiway, which caused substantial damage to the delta fins on the underside of the aft fuselage. The pilot said that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane. He said that the ramp was poorly illuminated and the high overcast clouds combined to create "very dark" lighting conditions.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he was attempting to taxi from the ramp area when the accident occurred. He reported that the airplane taxi lights were on; however, the edge of the ramp was not marked and before he could complete a turn, the nose wheel departed the pavement. He noted that the grass area between the ramp and parallel taxiway appeared to be level and suitable for crossing. After assessing the situation, he attempted to taxi across the grass area to the parallel taxiway about 50 feet from the ramp. However, the airplane encountered a drainage ditch located between the ramp and the taxiway, which caused substantial damage to the delta fins on the underside of the aft fuselage. The pilot noted that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions associated with the airplane prior to the accident. He commented that the ramp was poorly illuminated and the high overcast clouds combined to create "very dark" lighting conditions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N64MG
- Reported as
- Learjet 60
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 224
- Airframe hours
- 3,065
- Engines
- P&W Canada 305 SERIES, 5,200 horsepower, turbo fanP&W Canada 305 SERIES, 5,200 horsepower, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive/Corporate · Part 91
- Operator
- Mercer Air LLC
- Registered owner
- Mercer Air LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 25, 2011
- Departed
- LAF · Lafayette, IN
- Destination
- BFI · Seattle, WA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- LAF · Purdue University, runway 10, 6,600 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 31, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 14,500 total · 3,000 in this make and model · 10,500 as pilot in command · 75 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 9,153 total · 1,639 in this make and model · 6,810 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 80° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- LAF
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 14, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.