NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On May 2, 2000, about 1300 local time (universal coordinated time plus 2 hours), a Learjet 35A, registration G-MURI, operated by Northern Executive Aviation, Manchester, United Kingdom (UK), crashed during final approach to an emergency landing at Lyon Satolas International Airport, France (ICAO code: LFLL). Of the five persons on board, both pilots were fatally injured and minor injuries were sustained by the three passengers. The flight was operated as an on-demand air charter. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed from the departure airport, Farnborough (EGLF), UK, to the destination, Cote D'Azur Airport (LFMN), Nice, France. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at LFLL at the time of the crash. En route, the flight was operated under the regulations of the Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs), UK and France.
En route, during an Air Traffic Control (ATC)-directed descent from flight level (FL) 390 to FL 370, the flightcrew radioed a MADAY, stated that they had lost an engine, were descending below FL 370, and requested an emergency landing at the nearest airfield. ATC acknowledged the emergency, cleared the flight in the descent, and offered emergency airports. The flight requested the nearest airport with a runway of at least 1,600 meters in length. ATC asked if the flight wished to land at Lyon Satolas, and the flight accepted. The flight was given radar vectors to intercept the ILS approach to runway 36 at LFLL (approach end elevation: 814 feet mean sea level), On a straight-in final, near the approach end of the runway the airplane was observed to bank sharply to the left. The left wing tip tank struck grass, the fuselage then impacted and the airplane came to rest in the grass to the left of the runway. There were post-impact fires on both sides of the fuselage, which were extinguished by airport fire and emergency personnel that were standing-by during the declared emergency landing. The three passengers exited through an opening at the front of the cabin.
An international accident investigation team, under the direction of the Investigator-in-Charge (IIC), Bureau Enquetes - Accidents (BEA), France, examined the wreckage at the crash site and in follow-up examinations at BEA Headquarters. On May 23, the investigation reconvened to conduct an engineering disassembly and examination of the no. 1 engine, under the supervision of the IIC.
For further information, contact:
Investigator-in-Charge Mr. Alain Landart Bureau Enquetes - Accidents BAT 153 - Aeroport du Bourget 93352 LE Bourget Cedex FRANCE tel. 33 - 1 - 49 92 72 00 / fax -03
U.S. Accredited Representative Thomas R. Conroy Senior Air Safety Investigator National Transportation Safety Board Office of Aviation Safety Regional Operations and General Aviation Division, AS-20 Washington, D.C. 20594 tel. 1 (202) 314-6314 / fax -6329