Israel GULFSTREAM 200 N720QS

Summary

On 14 January 2014 at about 19:47 local time, a Israel GULFSTREAM 200 registered N720QS, operated by NetJets Aviation, Inc, was involved in an accident near Savannah, Georgia, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 January 2014 at 19:47

Classification

Accident

Location

Savannah, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Savannah/Hilton Head Intl (KSAV)

Coordinates

32.1275, -81.2022

Aircraft

Israel GULFSTREAM 200

Registration

N720QS

Category

Airplane

Year built

2003

Engines

2

Operator

NetJets Aviation, Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Savannah → Savannah

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA14LA098

Nobody was injured.

Maintenance personnel’s failure to properly secure the auxiliary power unit service door before returning the airplane to service, which resulted in substantial damage to the rudder.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane had undergone maintenance for an unresolved landing gear position indication issue. The flight crew reported that, during the third postmaintenance operational check flight (OCF), the airplane experienced a "thud" and momentary shudder as it climbed through 16,000 ft at 280 knots. The flight crew observed no other anomalies and did not experience any abnormal handling characteristics with the airplane during the remainder of the flight. Upon landing, the flight crew observed that the auxiliary power unit (APU) service door was open and bent but that it remained attached at its aft hinge point. The door's lower latches were partially engaged, and a detailed examination revealed no anomalies with the latch assembly. The lower portion of the rudder was substantially damaged due to contact with the service door. Review of maintenance work orders revealed that maintenance had been performed in the APU compartment before another OCF that had been conducted several days before the accident flight and that it was subsequently inspected in accordance with the maintenance provider's procedures. Maintenance personnel should have noted that the APU service door was not properly secured during the inspection. The flight crew's preflight inspection did not include inspecting the APU service door because it was only accessible with the aid of a ladder. .

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.