DCA94MA061

NTSB accident investigation · Learjet 25D · Chantilly, VA · June 18, 1994

Accident · FatalClass 1 · MajorFinal report
Date
June 18, 1994, 06:25 local (10:25 UTC)
Place
Chantilly, VA
Injuries
12 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
XABBALearjet 25D
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
Status
Completed · report May 16, 1995
Report
Board-adopted at Board Meeting
Investigation class
Class 1
NTSB office
Major Investigations Division
Safety recommendations
Yes
Case key
10985

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The poor decisionmaking, poor airmanship, and relative inexperience of the captain in initiating and continuing an unstabilized instrument approach that led to a descent below the authorized altitude without visual contact with the runway environment. Contributing to the cause of the accident was the lack of a ground proximity warning system on the airplane. (NTSB report AAR-95/02)

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

In flight collision with terrain/waterApproach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr)
Weather condition - low ceilingFactor
Weather condition - obscurationFactor
Weather condition - fogFactor
Weather condition - below approach/landing minimumsFactor
In-flight planning/decision - poorPilot in commandCause
Aircraft handling - poorPilot in commandCause
Lack of total experiencePilot in commandCause
Ground proximity warning system - lack ofFactor
Minimum descent altitude - belowPilot in commandCause

Analysis

The airplane crashed 0.8 NM south of the threshold of the runway during an ILS approach in instrument meteorological conditions. The captain was not authorized to attempt the approach and was relatively inexperienced for an approach under the weather conditions. The captain failed to adhere to acceptable standards of airmanship during two unstabilized approaches. After the unsuccessful ILS approach to runway 1R, the captain should have held for improvements in the weather, requested the runway 19L ILS, or proceeded to his alternate. An operating GPWS aboard the airplane would have provided continuous warning to the crew for the last 64 seconds of flight and might have prevented the accident.

Factual narrative

On June 18, 1994, at 0625 eastern daylight time, a Mexican registered Learjet 25D, XABBA, collided with the terrain during an instrument landing system (ILS) approach about 1/4 mile from the threshold of runway 1R at Dulles International Airport (IAD), Virginia. The certificated pilot; the certificated co-pilot; and all ten passengers received fatal injuries. The airplane was destroyed during the impact sequence. The airplane was being operated as a non-scheduled passenger charter flight by TAESA of Mexico City, Mexico, a 14 CFR 129 certificated carrier operating in the U. S. A. under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The flight departed Mexico at 2315 hours, re-fueled and cleared U. S. Customs in New Orleans, Louisiana, and departed there at 0355 hours. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight.

The flight arrived in the Washington, DC area and executed an ILS approach to IAD. The flight crew executed a missed approach and was attempting a second ILS approach at the time of the crash.

Additional persons(continued): mark taylor, general electric aircraft engines, 1000 western ave., lynn, ma 01910

Aircraft

Registration
XABBA
Reported as
Learjet 25D
Category
Airplane
Serial number
223
Engine
GE CJ610-6, turbo jet
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Part 129
Registered owner
Taesa
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Continuous airworthiness · April 20, 1994
Departed
NEW · New Orleans, LA
Destination
IAD
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
IAD · Washington Dulles Intl, runway 1R, 11,500 × 150 ft, concrete

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
27
Certificates
Airline transport, Foreign
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
1,706 total · 1,314 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Dawn
Wind
Calm
Visibility
0.5 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
500 ft
Temperature
72 °F, dew point 72 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
IAD, 1 nm away