Gates Lear Jet 36A accident near San Clemente Island, CA
On May 10, 2023, a Gates Lear Jet 36A (airplane) was involved in an accident near San Clemente Island, CA. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 10, 2023
- Place
- San Clemente Island, CA
- Aircraft
- Gates Lear Jet 36A · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 32.839°N, 118.516°W
- NTSB ID
- 20230510130456
Official records · WPR23FA185
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- ATC Transcripts - Navy Control: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 10, 2023, at 0749 Pacific daylight time, a Gates Lear Jet 36A, N56PA, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near San Clemente Island, California. Both pilots and the additional crewmember were fatally injured. The airplane was operating as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, other work use flight. Witness interviews, ADS-B data, Air Traffic Control Transcripts, and flight data from the accident airplane’s left engine Digital Electronic Engine Control (DEEC) Incident Recorder were compared and correlated to establish a sequence of events and an approximate timeline (figure 1). The airplane departed Point Mugu Naval Air Station (NTD), Oxnard, California about 0723 as the lead airplane in formation with a second Lear Jet utilizing the callsigns FENIX01 (N56PA) and FENIX02 (N544PA). The purpose of the flight was to participate in training exercises with the United States Navy in Warning Area 291 (W291). The flight proceeded south towards San Clemente Island with FENIX02 flying in formation with FENIX01. About 0740, after entering W291 at 15,000 ft msl, FENIX02 (positioned on the right side of FENIX01) observed FENIX01’s flaps partially deploy. They asked the pilots of FENIX01 if they had deployed flaps, and they replied that they didn’t think so. FENIX02 then observed the flaps retract and seconds later observed white or gray colored smoke coming from the left, aft side of the airplane. FENIX02 notified FENIX01 of the smoke and FENIX01 responded that they detected an odor in the cabin. At this point the aircrew of FENIX02 believed
Probable cause
The pilots’ loss of airplane control following a catastrophic fire that started on the left side of the aft equipment bay (tail cone). The fire likely initiated from a leak from the left fuel motive flow line due to a b-nut that loosened for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence.
More accidents in CA
- Douglas MD-83, Feb 1, 2000
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32, Aug 31, 1986
- British Aerospace BAE-146-200, Dec 8, 1987
- Beech C-99, Aug 24, 1984
- Sikorsky S-61N, Aug 6, 2008
Browse: California
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
