# NTSB DCA84AA027: Learjet 23A, N101PP, Windsor Locks, CT, June 5, 1984

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Final report
- Date: June 4, 1984, 23:41 local (Jun 5, 1984, 03:41 UTC)
- Place: Windsor Locks, CT
- Location: 41.9390° N, 72.6843° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at BRADLEY INTL (BDL), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9390&lon=-72.6843&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 3 fatal
- Status: Completed
- Report: Board-adopted at Board Meeting
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- NTSB case key (mKey): 15810
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA84AA027
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/15810/pdf
- Board report AAR8502 (PDF): https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR8502.pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA84AA027

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, go-around (vfr)
  - light condition - dark night (contributing factor)
  - spoiler extension - performed
  - planned approach - continued
  - spoiler retraction - attempted
  - flt control syst,wing spoiler system - undetermined (cause)
  - aileron trim - selected
  - go-around - initiated
  - aircraft handling - not maintained, pilot in command
- In flight collision with terrain/water, go-around (vfr)

## Analysis

ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ACFT MADE A NORMAL APCH TO RWY 33 WITH NO APPARENT ABNORMALITIES. HOWEVER, WHEN IT WAS ABOUT 200 FT OVER THE APCH LIGHTS, THEY HEARD AN INCREASE IN THE ENG THRUST & THE ACFT'S DESCENT STOPPED. TWO PLT WITNESSES THOUGHT THE AIRCREW INITIATED A GO-AROUND. IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER, THE ACFT BEGAN AN APPARENT LEVEL TURN TO THE RIGHT. AS IT TURNED THRU ABOUT 90 DEG OF TURN, THE BANK ANGLE HAD INCREASED TO NEARLY 90 DEG, THE ACFT'S NOSE DROPPED & THE PLANE CRASHED IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE & BURNED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED & THE FLAPS WERE PARTIALLY EXTENDED. THE AILERON TRIM ACTUATOR WAS IN A FULL LEFT WING DOWN POSITION & THE ELEVATOR WAS TRIMMED NEAR A FULL NOSE UP POSITION. THE RIGHT SPOILER ACTUATOR WAS FOUND IN A FULL EXTENDED POSITION & THE LEFT WAS IN A RETRACTED POSITION, WHICH WAS INDICATIVE OF AN ASYMMETRIC SPOILER CONFIGURATION. RADAR DATA INDICATED THE CREW HAD EXTENDED THE SPOILERS DURING THE LAST PART OF THE DESCENT & APCH. NO REASON FOUND FOR IMPROPER SPOILER OPERATION.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N101PP (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: LEARJET 23A
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 23-085
- Airframe hours: 8393
- Engines: GE CJ610-4 2850 lbs thrust turbo jet
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Part 135
- Operator: Air Continental, Inc.
- Registered owner: Air Continental, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: AAIP, April 14, 1984, 0 hours before
- Departed: SYR, SYRACUSE, NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: BDL, Bradley Intl, runway 33, 6,846 × 220 ft, macadam

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 52; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 11,039 total, 1,130 in this make and model, 282 in the last 90 days, 99 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: BDL, 1 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19840604026349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840604026349A), Jun 4, 1984: Lear 23LEAR, Windsor Locks, CT, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Right spoiler did not retract on short final. Rolled 90 degrees. Impacted runway. Cause for malfunction unknown.

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.