Easterwood Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

College Station, Texas 77843
Thursday, December 12, 1985 19:21 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT ROLLED TO THE RIGHT AND CRASHED AFTER A CATASTROPHIC (UNCONTAINED) FAILURE OF THE RT ENG DURING TAKEOFF FOR A NIGHT FLT. THE RT ENG FAN ROTOR DISC SEPARATED FROM THE HUB WHICH DAMAGED THE COWLING AND SOME DISC FRAGMENTS BURIED IN THE FUSELAGE BUT WITHOUT DAMAGE TO THE FLT CONTROLS. THE DRAG CREATED BY THE LOSS OF THRUST AND THE DISTORTED COWLING LED TO YAW AND ROLL WITH LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE ACFT. THE FAN FAILURE PROPAGATED FROM A LOW GRADE FATIGUE CRACK ON THE HIGH TIME FAN WHICH WAS NOT DETECTED BY THE VISUAL INSPECTION PROCEDURES EXISTING AT THE TIME. THE MAUNUFACTURER HAS SINCE IMPROVED THE MANUFACTURING AND INSPECTION TECHNIQUES. AN AD 86-04-02 WAS ISSUED ON 2/14/86 WHICH DEALS WITH FAN REMOVAL FROM SERVICE ACCORDING TO AN OPERATING CYCLE SCHEDULE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/12/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1921
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City COLLEGE STATION
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77843
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport EASTERWOOD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CLL
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 319
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1930 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CLL
Elevation of weather observation facility 319
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2871
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 12 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30986
Date of most recent change to record Sep 30 2004 12:58PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N723GL
NTSB Number FTW86FA025
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion In-flight
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GATES LEARJET
Aircraft Model 35A
Aircraft Series Identifier 35A
Aircraft Serial Number 35-107
Certified Max Gross Weight 17000
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 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Nov 5 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 121
Airframe Hours 8963
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GENERAL TELEPHONE CO. S.W.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2701 SOUTH JOHNSON
Aircraft Owner City SAN ANGELO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76902
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1920
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code HOU
Destination City HOUSTIN
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 28
Runway Length 5161
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --