Los Angeles International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Los Angeles, California 90045
Thursday, December 17, 1998 8:56 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The twin turbojet airplane landed gear-up after experiencing a gradual loss of electrical power and the eventual total drain of both batteries. The flight crew taxied out to the runway at the departure airport with only the right engine running. When the flight crew received their takeoff clearance, they started the left engine and taxied onto the runway. After takeoff, they started to experience a loss in radio communications, transponder transmissions, autopilot control, and annunciator and panel lights. The flight crew attempted a landing after selecting normal landing gear extension. When they realized that the landing gear were not extended, the flight crew performed a go-around and the captain attempted to extend the landing gear using the emergency blow down system. The captain failed to hold the emergency blow down handle until it latched preventing the landing gear system from extending properly. The flight crew then landed the airplane with the landing gear retracted without utilizing the emergency free fall system. Review of the cockpit voice recorder revealed that there was no indication that the flight crew completed the engine start checklist, which would have put the engine driven generators on-line. There was also no indication that the flight crew examined the electrical system or performed an electrical failure checklist. It was also apparent that the flight crew failed to properly perform the alternate landing gear extension methods. The electrical system was examined after the accident. There were no anomalies noted that would have prevent normal operation of the primary electrical system, or, either the normal or emergency landing gear extension systems.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the total loss of electrical power due to the flight crew's failure to complete the engine start checklist, or the electrical power failure checklist, which kept the generators off line and resulted in the complete discharged of both batteries. Also causal to the accident was the captain's failure to perform the emergency landing gear extension checklists, which resulted in a wheels-up landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/17/1998
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 856
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Los Angeles
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90045
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 335655N
Event Location Longitude 1182449W
Event Location Airport Los Angeles International
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LAX
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 126
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 850 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID LAX
Elevation of weather observation facility 126
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 100
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.08
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 7
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14331
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 17 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 915
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2003 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N554CL
NTSB Number LAX99FA051
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Learjet
Aircraft Model 55B
Aircraft Series Identifier 55B
Aircraft Serial Number 55-040
Certified Max Gross Weight 19500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name IMP Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Van Nuys
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91406
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Clay Lacy
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7435 Valjean Ave.
Operator City Van Nuys
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 91406
Operator Code BKEA
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SAN
Departure City San Diego
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 828
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code LAX
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Sep 9 2003 11:57AM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25L
Runway Length 11096
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --