Hutchinson Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hutchinson, Kansas 67052
Thursday, September 24, 1992 10:55 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT WAS ENGAGED IN A TEST FLIGHT THAT INVOLVED AN INTENTIONAL INDUCED AUTOPILOT MALFUNCTION AT 80 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY SURFACE. THE CREW IS REQUIRED TO DELAY RECOVERY FOR 2.0 SECONDS AND THEN RECOVER FROM THE MALFUNCTION. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A HARD LANDING DURING THE ATTEMPTED RECOVERY RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE. THE MALFUNCTION INPUT WAS MADE BY AN AVIONICS ENGINEER IN THE AFT CABIN WHO DID NOT HAVE A READOUT OF RADAR ALTITUDE. THE COMPANY AND THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION HAVE MODIFIED THEIR FLIGHT TEST GUIDANCE FOR LOW ALTITUDE INTENTIONAL MALFUNCTIONS SINCE THIS ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE FLIGHT TEST METHODS BY THE MANUFACTURER AND THE FAA WHICH DID NOT PERMIT SAFE OPERATING CLEARANCES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/24/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1055
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HUTCHINSON
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 67052
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HUTCHINSON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KHUT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1542
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1010
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 24 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50976
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:18PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N602LJ
NTSB Number CHI92LA289
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LEARJET
Aircraft Model LR-60
Aircraft Series Identifier LR-60
Aircraft Serial Number 60-002
Certified Max Gross Weight 23350
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 Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 206
Airframe Hours 206
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LEARJET INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8220 W. HARRY
Aircraft Owner City WICHITA
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67277
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LEARJET INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address MID CONTINENT AIRPORT
Operator City WICHITA
Operator State KS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 67277
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ICT
Departure City WICHITA
Departure State KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 955
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 13
Runway Length 7001
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --