ASN Aircraft accident Learjet 25D N125NE Sarasota, FL, USA [Gulf of Mexico]
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Monday 19 May 1980
Time:12:05 EDT
Type:Silhouette image of generic LJ25 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Learjet 25D
Operator:Northeast Jet
Registration: N125NE
MSN: 25-271
First flight: 1979
Total airframe hrs:1200
Engines: 2 General Electric CJ610-8A
Crew:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Total:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:167 km (104.4 mls) W off Sarasota, FL, USA [Gulf of Mexico] (   Atlantic Ocean)
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature:Ferry/positioning
Departure airport:West Palm Beach International Airport, FL (PBI/KPBI), United States of America
Destination airport:New Orleans International Airport, LA (MSY/KMSY), United States of America
Narrative:
Lost control after encountering clear air turbulence at FL430. The Learjet had exceeded its Mach limits when the pilots responded to the encounter. The Mach overspeed warning horn had been disconnected with an unauthorized cut-off switch.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "An unexpected encounter with moderate to severe clear air turbulence, the flightcrew's improper response to the encounter, and the aircraft's marginal controllability characteristics when flown at and beyond the boundary of its high altitude speed envelope, all of which resulted in the aircraft exceeding its Mach limits and a progressive loss of control from which recovery was not possible. Contributing to the accident was the disconnection of the Mach overspeed warning horn with an unauthorized cut-out switch which resulted in the absence of an overspeed warning that probably delayed the crew's response to the turbulence encounter, and the insonsistencies in aircraft flight manuals and flightcrew training programs regarding the use of spoilers to regain control."

Accident investigation:

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Investigating agency: NTSB
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 4 months
Accident number: NTSB-AAR-81-15
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Loss of control

Follow-up / safety actions

NTSB issued 1 Safety Recommendation

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Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from West Palm Beach International Airport, FL to New Orleans International Airport, LA as the crow flies is 1053 km (658 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the official accident report.

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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