- Date
- April 25, 1990, 21:55 local (Apr 26, 1990, 02:55 UTC)
- Place
- Uvalde, TX
- Injuries
- 9 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- XAROZLearjet 25D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report March 12, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 23020
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
Failure of the pilot to obtain a pre-flight weather briefing, and his improper in-flight planning/decision, which resulted in an in-flight encounter with severe weather and subsequent engine flameouts. Factors related to the accident were: darkness, the severe weather conditions, and rough/uneven terrain in the forced landing area.
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.
Analysis
The flt crew enctrd svr turbc in cruise flt at FL410, over a vip lvl 4 to 5 thunderstorm. The #2 eng flamed out, though continuous ignition had been selected. After the flame-out, the acft started to dscnd & the crew bgn to divert to a nrby arpt. Drg the dscnt, the acft enctrd large hail, hvy rain, svr turbc, lightning & st elmos fire. The otr eng flamed out as the acft was dscndg thru FL330 (presumably due to hail & water ingestion). Attempted air starts (both windmilling & starter assisted) were unsuccessful; interior lgts bcm extremely dim drg starter assisted atmts. Subsequently, the acft was dmgd drg a lndg in a wheat fld. Inv revealed the crew did not rcv a wx briefing bfr the flt. There was a convective SIGMET (6C) & an alert wx warning (aww 163), which were active for the area. According to a wx study, there was a svr thunderstorm, topped at or nr FL410, MDT to svr up/dwndfts, large hail, hvy rain, strong wind gusts, and airframe icing abv 12,000' MSL. All frontal areas of the acft rcvd MDT to svr hail dmg.
Aircraft
- Registration
- XAROZ
- Reported as
- Learjet 25D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 286
- Airframe hours
- 2,953
- Engine
- GE CJ610-8A, 2,950 lbs thrust, turbo jet
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Internacionales De Torreon
- Registered owner
- Aero Transportes Intl'S
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- LBB · Lubbock, TX
- Destination
- MMTC · Torreon
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- UVA · Garner Field
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Certificates
- Foreign, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 5,746 total · 200 in this make and model · 5,550 as pilot in command · 82 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 40° at 22 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DLF, 50 nm away