Learjet 35 N1976L

Summary

On 9 June 1983 at about 14:07 local time, a Learjet 35 registered N1976L was involved in an accident near Seattle, Washington, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

9 June 1983 at 14:07

Classification

Accident

Location

Seattle, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Boeing Field (BFI)

Coordinates

47.5395, -122.3099

Aircraft

Learjet 35

Registration

N1976L

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Portland

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA83FA121

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE ACFT DRAGGED THE RIGHT WING TIP TANK AND RUPTURED IT AFTER THE PASSENGER DOOR OPENED DURING TAKEOFF. DURING THE ABORTED TAKEOFF THE ACFT OSCILLATED RIGHT, LEFT AND RIGHT BEFORE MAKING GROUND CONTACT ON THE RIGHT WING. THE HIGHEST ALT ATTAINED WAS ABOUT 100 FT AGL. BEFORE TAKEOFF A PUROLATOR CARGO HANDLER INTERRUPTED THE CAPTAIN CLOSING THE DOOR TO GIVE HIM A PACKAGE. THE CAPT WENT TO SECURE THIS PACKAGE AND THE CARGO HANDLER CLOSED THE DOOR. AFTER THE CAPT WAS IN HIS SEAT HE AND THE CO-PILOT FAILED TO NOTE THE RED DOOR WARNING LIGHT MENTALLY REGARDING IT AS A MALFUNCTIONING FUEL WARNING EVEN THOUGH THESE LIGHTS ARE SEPARATED BY 3 OTHER LIGHTS. DURING THE TAKEOFF AT ABOUT 110 KTS THE DOOR OPENED AND THE ABORT COMMENCED. THE CARGO HANDLER WAS INTERVIEWED AND ADMITTED CLOSING THE DOOR BUT SAID HE NEVER LATCHED THE DOOR SINCE IT REQUIRES A KEY TO ACTIVATE IT. THIS WAS ALWAYS DONE BY THE CREW.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.