ASN Aircraft accident Gulfstream G-IV G-GMAC Teterboro Airport, NJ (TEB)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Wednesday 1 December 2004
Time:16:23
Type:Silhouette image of generic GLF4 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Gulfstream G-IV
Operator:GAMA Aviation
Registration: G-GMAC
MSN: 1058
First flight: 1988
Total airframe hrs:7452
Engines: 2 Rolls-Royce Tay 611-8
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 9
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:Teterboro Airport, NJ (TEB) (   United States of America)
Phase: Landing (LDG)
Nature:Executive
Departure airport:London-Luton Airport (LTN/EGGW), United Kingdom
Destination airport:Teterboro Airport, NJ (TEB/KTEB), United States of America
Flightnumber: 946
Narrative:
Gulfstream IV G-GMAC originally departed Farnborough Airport (FAB), and flew uneventfully to Luton (LTN). At Luton the passenger boarded for the transatlantic flight to Teterboro (TEB). It arrived in the Teterboro area and was cleared for an ILS runway 19 approach, sidestep to land on runway 24. Although the airplane encountered a gusty right crosswind, the approach was less turbulent than the flightcrew expected. The airplane initially overshot the extended runway 24 centerline, but the airplane was stabilized at 1,000 feet agl. The auto throttle and autopilot were disengaged during the approach, about 800 feet agl. However, the auto throttle reengaged just prior to touchdown, about 35 feet agl. The airplane touched down within the first 2,000 feet of the runway, and slightly right of runway centerline. The crew were not aware that the auto throttle had reengaged. The target airspeed set for the auto throttle
system was 138 knots. After touchdown, as the airplane decelerated below 138 knots, the auto throttle system gradually increased the power levers in an attempt to maintain the target airspeed. Without the power levers in the idle position, the ground spoilers and thrust reversers would not deploy. While the flightcrew was pulling up on the thrust reverser levers, they may not have initially provided enough aft force on the power levers (15 to 32 lb) to override and disconnect the auto throttle system. The flight data recorder indicated that the autothrottle system disengaged 16 seconds after the weight-on-wheels switches were activated in ground mode. As the airplane neared the end of the runway, the pilot engaged the emergency brake, and the airplane departed the right side of the runway. The airplane then traveled over a grassy area, struck trees, and came to rest upright.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The flightcrew's inadvertent engagement of the autothrottle system, and their failure to recognize the engagement during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion. Factors were the lack of autothrottle switch guards, lack of an autothrottle engagement audible tone, and gusty winds."

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: NTSB
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 6 months
Accident number: NYC05FA026
Download report: Summary report

Classification:
Runway excursion

Sources:
» FAA
» NTSB

METAR Weather report:
20:51 UTC / 15:51 local time:
KTEB 012051Z 27014G27KT 10SM BKN055 12/01 A2957 RMK AO2 PK WND 28034/2014 SLP014 T01170011 53039=

21:51 UTC / 16:51 local time:
KTEB 012151Z 29016G25KT 10SM FEW060 11/01 A2962 RMK AO2 PK WND 30032/2132 SLP031 T01110011=


Photos

photo of Gulfstream-G-1159A-Gulfstream-IV-VP-BSF
accident date: 01-12-2004
type: Gulfstream G-1159A Gulfstream IV
registration: VP-BSF
 

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 London-Luton Airport to Teterboro Airport, NJ as the crow flies is 5495 km (3435 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.

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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