Lear Missing in Water off San Clemente Island in California

[Lake1952]

Non-military Lear missing after takeoff from a military facility on San Clemente Island off the California coast.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-05-10/aircraft-crash-united-states-coast-guard-search-and-rescue-san-clemente-island-california

This article implies it might have been a military operated Lear...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12069665/Three-people-missing-military-Learjet-crashes-Navy-live-firing-range-San-Clemente-island.html

[treadigraph]

Phoenix Air Lear 36A N56PA. They seem to do specialist air ambulance flights amongst other things.

https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20230510-0

[BFSGrad]

Accident aircraft departed KNTD, RW21 at 1423Z. Wx 7 miles visibility, few clouds at 2900 and 3800. Aircraft climbed to cruise altitude of 15,000 ft. At 1436Z, aircraft was passing to the west of the San Clemente Island NALF (KNUC) at cruise altitude.

At about 1440Z, ADS-B data started to show oscillations in vertical speed and aircraft began a turn to the NE. By 1442Z, aircraft was rapidly descending with peak vertical speed near 7000 fpm. Last data point at 14:49:11Z, speed 266 kts, altitude 1200 ft, vertical speed 3900 fpm descent.

Wx at KNUC, 10 miles visibility, scattered 1600, overcast 2400.


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1154x1174/screenshot_2023_05_11_at_10_37_54_am_0a2e4d75ef453d09f53115f eb3126a53fae9d179.png
Accident aircraft track

[wrench1]

FYI: Phoenix Air provides a number of contracted services to the military using specially modified Learjets with civilian crews.
https://phoenixair.com/military-operations/airbone-services/