Cessna Citation Down at Van Nuys
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Cessna Citation down from Van Nuys
A small business jet crashed while taking off from Van Nuys Airport in California.
The wreckage of the plane has been seen smoldering in a field near the San Fernando Valley airport.
The Cessna Citation twin-engine crashed as it was leaving the airport in the Los Angeles suburbs, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said.
It was heading to Long Beach, about 25 miles south of Los Angeles.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/...,00.html?f=dta
The wreckage of the plane has been seen smoldering in a field near the San Fernando Valley airport.
The Cessna Citation twin-engine crashed as it was leaving the airport in the Los Angeles suburbs, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said.
It was heading to Long Beach, about 25 miles south of Los Angeles.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/...,00.html?f=dta
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Cessna Citation Down at Van Nuys
CNN Headline news is reporting that a Cessna Citation crashed soon after takeoff at Van Nuys, about one hour ago. 2 POB, and apparently no survivors. Film footage shows totally burnt out wreckage half a mile from the end of the runway.
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From Flightaware
http://flightaware.com/news/story/68
UPDATED: 2:23pm CST
A 1996 Cessna Citation 525 has crashed on takeoff from KVNY (Van Nuys, CA). Local television coverage from helicopters shows that the fire has been contained.
FlightAware is reporting the aircraft was N77215, a 1996 Cessna 525 with a scheduled flight from KVNY to KLGB. N77215 is owned by Moonchild Aviation in Los Angeles and operated by Sun Quest Executive Air Charter in Van Nuys. The aircraft had a proposed departure time of 10:30am PST for a 15 minute flight to Long Beach and a second flight plan with an 11:45am PST flight to Prescott, AZ.
At least two individuals were found dead in the aircraft and a report from VNY tower indicates that the flight plan filed with the FAA was that two people were onboard the aircraft. A dispatcher with Sun Quest is reporting that only the flight crew (two pilots) were on board.
An unconfirmed report from local news asserts that a door (possibly the nose baggage door) opened on the aircraft during the takeoff roll or climbout and the door and/or debris from the aircraft was injested by one of the engines.
The FAA and NTSB are investigating. htaware
http://flightaware.com/news/story/68
UPDATED: 2:23pm CST
A 1996 Cessna Citation 525 has crashed on takeoff from KVNY (Van Nuys, CA). Local television coverage from helicopters shows that the fire has been contained.
FlightAware is reporting the aircraft was N77215, a 1996 Cessna 525 with a scheduled flight from KVNY to KLGB. N77215 is owned by Moonchild Aviation in Los Angeles and operated by Sun Quest Executive Air Charter in Van Nuys. The aircraft had a proposed departure time of 10:30am PST for a 15 minute flight to Long Beach and a second flight plan with an 11:45am PST flight to Prescott, AZ.
At least two individuals were found dead in the aircraft and a report from VNY tower indicates that the flight plan filed with the FAA was that two people were onboard the aircraft. A dispatcher with Sun Quest is reporting that only the flight crew (two pilots) were on board.
An unconfirmed report from local news asserts that a door (possibly the nose baggage door) opened on the aircraft during the takeoff roll or climbout and the door and/or debris from the aircraft was injested by one of the engines.
The FAA and NTSB are investigating. htaware
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A corporate jet pilot with 25 years experience witnessed the left nose baggage door open on takeoff (or climbout, the news story isn't that precise), so that part is confirmed. As for the ingestion of baggage or the door itself, the witness didn't see that happen, so it's up to the investigators.
http://cbs13.com/topstories/local_story_012142007.html
http://cbs13.com/topstories/local_story_012142007.html
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There appears to be at least one eyewitness who said the LH FWD baggage door came open on takeoff. Has anyone ever had this happen to them? I'm curious as to the airloads imposed on the aircraft with a baggage door open.
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I've never had this happen but I do have some thoughts,
The checklist for the Encore, which I'm assuming is the same (prehaps someone can clarify) in relation to the relevent annunciators says:
ON GROUND
1. CORRECT PRIOR TO FLIGHT
IN FLIGHT
1. AIRSPEED - REDUCE TO 200 KIAS
2. PASSENGER ADVISORY LIGHTS - PASS SAFETY
I don't know about the aerodynamic effects of the door being open, but the first problem I can see is the loads on the door itself. If either of the nose bay doors were to seperate, I think they would be quite a hazard to both the engines and empennage. I think this would also be the case with any items in the nose bay, for instance; In our aircraft we have one of those 'dustbuster' type hoovers, It occurs to me that even a relatively small, weak item such as this represents quite a large proportion of the area of the intake to be blocked off even momentarily even if mechanical damage to the engine didn't result.
A worst case scenario is coming to mind and I think a serious accident like this is quite feasable:
- Nose bay door open in flight, Possible seperation of the door
- Engine Fire/Failiure/Severe Damage/Seperation
- Damage to the Empennage
- Soft Items (e.g Clothing or the Covers) tangled up in the tailplane
Not nice.
Now be honest, How many of you have 'squashed' soft items in to the nose bay after the passengers have turned up with Gulfstream baggage? I for one am going to be checking carefully that not only that the door is closed and locked but that nothing in the bay was interfearing with the path of the door or its hinges when it was closed.
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i used to co-jo on an early citation ( 500 or 501 ?)...and the owner ( who flew ) was very strict about the front baggage doors and ensuring that the clasps were properly closed.
they were a bit like the ones on the nose canopy of the piper tomahawk if i recall correctly.
now i see why.
they were a bit like the ones on the nose canopy of the piper tomahawk if i recall correctly.now i see why.
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I fly 500's, totally anal about the front lockers, once open the full loads are upon two very small alli brackets. It probably detached and either hit the screen or went through the engine.
Hatch discipline was something that was drummed into me in a big way very early on.
We never use loose keys in pockets, somehow if you attach it to elastic and hook it to one of your belt loops they always seem to get locked properly.
That said there but for the grace of god go I, especially with late pax, slots etc. RIP the crew, thoughts are with the families
Hatch discipline was something that was drummed into me in a big way very early on.
We never use loose keys in pockets, somehow if you attach it to elastic and hook it to one of your belt loops they always seem to get locked properly.
That said there but for the grace of god go I, especially with late pax, slots etc. RIP the crew, thoughts are with the families
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Yes Key discpline is definitely very important in ANY type. I know someone who ruined a perfectly good TFE731 with a key.
I have two rules, Unless I have physical sight of the key, or all of the keys if more than one person has one:
- Engines dont get started then
- Takeoff power does not get set.
I have two rules, Unless I have physical sight of the key, or all of the keys if more than one person has one:
- Engines dont get started then
- Takeoff power does not get set.
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HS125,
Key discipline is doubtless important, but due to differing micro-switch positions, knowing where the key is has different implications depending on which Citation you're in. We operate Citation IIs and Citation Bravos. Having the key in your hand and the BAGGAGE DOOR L/R light out in the II says, apart from the obvious, that you've got the clasps down but doesn't say anything about whether the doors are locked. In the Bravo it says the doors are locked but doesn't guarantee that the clasps are shut.
So having hold of the key will ensure it won't end up in the engine, but on this type at least, there is no way to ensure from the flight deck, that you are both closed and locked
. Like G-SPOTs Lost, I'm anal about that last check...
Anyone know if later Citation types do a better job?
the Wings
Key discipline is doubtless important, but due to differing micro-switch positions, knowing where the key is has different implications depending on which Citation you're in. We operate Citation IIs and Citation Bravos. Having the key in your hand and the BAGGAGE DOOR L/R light out in the II says, apart from the obvious, that you've got the clasps down but doesn't say anything about whether the doors are locked. In the Bravo it says the doors are locked but doesn't guarantee that the clasps are shut.
So having hold of the key will ensure it won't end up in the engine, but on this type at least, there is no way to ensure from the flight deck, that you are both closed and locked
. Like G-SPOTs Lost, I'm anal about that last check...Anyone know if later Citation types do a better job?
the Wings
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Baggage Door Unlock
Just to clarify...in Citations..One should check that the clasps and baggage door lock is in the verticle position(locked) prior to flight. Clasps can look locked, but only be 1.8" out, so it's standard that I push hard to make sure they are in. They should click in.
So they missed that....
If that is missed, then the baggage door annunciator should be lit, and prior to takeoff in any jet I have flown one should have a clear panel.
So they missed that...
If the pilots were flying on a sunny day, and the night lights were on, dimmed panel, maybe they missed that too.
Another is if they didn't do the rotary check, and maybe the baggage door annunciator light was burned out, tney could have missed that.
And ofcourse keep in mind, there were two pilots, that basicaly missed all this twice.
Some things to look out for.
One time I put 9 pax on board, after preflighting the aircraft, and then I do a walk around after pax have boarded to preclude cell phones left on wings, keys dropped infront of tires, latte cups on wing, ect)...this day I walked back over to hangar to check side doors, came back and thought I should do a quick run around....someone had gotten out of the aircraft, tried to pop the baggage door, probably to get some sun glasses, ect, couldn't get past the lock, got back in the plane. I caught it, stuck my head in the cabin, inquired, no one said a word. Welcome to my world. Talked to the boss about it, you would think one preflight would be enough, it took three that day to catch it.
All that said, I am told, and this is confirmed by above checklist recital, that you keep your speed appropriate to fly the plane, land ASAP, but the plane should fly, even if a bag came out and went through the engine.
If I were to guess, you got enough Citation drivers flying perfectly good aircraft into the dirt lately, that in this case, if the baggage door was flapping around violently, then that was probably just enough of a distraction to not watch airspeed, altitude, VSI for climb..ect.
It's a tragedy, and I don't want to make light of it, but it does illustrate the need to hire guys with experience and not just try to save another buck on pilot salaries.
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Just to clarify...in Citations..One should check that the clasps and baggage door lock is in the verticle position(locked) prior to flight. Clasps can look locked, but only be 1.8" out, so it's standard that I push hard to make sure they are in. They should click in.
So they missed that....
If that is missed, then the baggage door annunciator should be lit, and prior to takeoff in any jet I have flown one should have a clear panel.
So they missed that...
Sorry if your head hurts from all the head banging.
Are you absolutely sure that in Citations, either an inlocked door OR an open clasp will produce an annunciation?
the Wings
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ssg- wise words. You can't help but wonder what is going to happen to the accident statistics when all these single pilot mini-business jets hit the market. They seem to be promising thousands will, quite literally, hit the skies.
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So they missed that....
If that is missed, then the baggage door annunciator should be lit, and prior to takeoff in any jet I have flown one should have a clear panel.
So they missed that...
If the pilots were flying on a sunny day, and the night lights were on, dimmed panel, maybe they missed that too.
Another is if they didn't do the rotary check, and maybe the baggage door annunciator light was burned out, tney could have missed that.
And ofcourse keep in mind, there were two pilots, that basicaly missed all this twice.
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http://ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id...23X00090&key=1
On January 12, 2007, about 1107 Pacific standard time, a Cessna CitationJet 525, N77215, collided with terrain in Van Nuys, California. Sunquest Executive Air Charter was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airline transport pilot and the commercial copilot sustained fatal injuries; the airplane was destroyed. The cross-country positioning flight was departing with a planned destination of Long Beach, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. The approximate global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the primary wreckage were 34 degrees 13.535 minutes north latitude and 118 degrees 29.621 minutes west longitude.
Linemen added 190 gallons of fuel in each wing. One of the linemen observed the copilot preflight the airplane and load bags into the left front baggage compartment. He noted that the copilot pulled the front left baggage door down with one hand, but did not see him latch or lock it. The airplane was then towed to a start-up area; the start-up area was on the other side of a hangar, and out of sight. Several minutes later the CitationJet crew reported that they were ready to go. A lineman went to the start-up area and directed them out of the ramp area. He could not tell if the baggage door was locked.
The airplane taxied the full length of the airport to the departure end of runway 34L, which is 8,001 feet long. Witnesses at midfield noted that the airplane was airborne and then leveled off; the front left baggage door was closed. Witnesses at the end of the runway said that the baggage door was open, and the airplane was about 200 feet above ground level (agl). The airplane turned slightly left, and was slow. It began descending, and the wings were rocking. It then did a hard right turn, and into the ground. The airplane cut one string of power lines that were perpendicular to the flight path; the falling line hit one witness in the head. Another witness said that the wings were nearly vertical to the ground when the airplane hit. The right wing hit in the street, and the airplane went through a set of power lines parallel to the flight path. It continued through a wire fence with a cinder block wall behind it, and through another cinderblock wall with a wire fence behind it.
A Cessna 414 departed behind the CitationJet. Just after the tower cleared the 414 for takeoff, one of the CitationJet's pilots indicated that they wanted to return for landing. The tower asked if they could make it back to runway 34L, and the crew acknowledged 34L. A few seconds later the tower cleared them to land on any runway, and the response was OK. The 414 pilot had the CitationJet in sight, and indicated that he was looking down at it, and it appeared to be slow. He saw the slight left turn, and the hard right into the ground. He was able to maneuver away from the fireball.
Some witnesses thought that they saw dark objects fall from the airplane, and enter the left engine. The airport did two checks for loose objects, and found nothing. Law enforcement scoured the area from the end of the runway to the crash site, and found nothing. Most of this space was an open sod field.
Investigators established control continuity, determined that the gear were down, and the speed brakes were stowed. The left engine separated, and was 100 feet in front of the main wreckage. It turned freely when manually rotated. The right engine remained in place, but sustained mechanical damage and would not rotate. The sides were crushed, and cinder block pieces were in the inlet.
Examination of the front left baggage door indicated that the key mechanism was in the unlocked position. The Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) noted that upon energizing the electrical system, the amber master caution light would illuminate, and an amber annunciator light would flash if the cabin entry door, either of the forward baggage doors, or the tail cone door was not key locked. After pressing the master caution light, it would extinguish, but the DOOR NOT LOCKED annunciator light would remain on continuously. The annunciator panel is in the middle of the glare shield across the top of the instrument panel.
A review of previous reports noted other instances of a front baggage door popping open on several different Citation models. In some cases the door separated, and the crews landed uneventfully. In at least one case, a front baggage door on a model with a similar nose configuration stayed attached. That crew returned to the departure airport, and landed successfully.
Linemen added 190 gallons of fuel in each wing. One of the linemen observed the copilot preflight the airplane and load bags into the left front baggage compartment. He noted that the copilot pulled the front left baggage door down with one hand, but did not see him latch or lock it. The airplane was then towed to a start-up area; the start-up area was on the other side of a hangar, and out of sight. Several minutes later the CitationJet crew reported that they were ready to go. A lineman went to the start-up area and directed them out of the ramp area. He could not tell if the baggage door was locked.
The airplane taxied the full length of the airport to the departure end of runway 34L, which is 8,001 feet long. Witnesses at midfield noted that the airplane was airborne and then leveled off; the front left baggage door was closed. Witnesses at the end of the runway said that the baggage door was open, and the airplane was about 200 feet above ground level (agl). The airplane turned slightly left, and was slow. It began descending, and the wings were rocking. It then did a hard right turn, and into the ground. The airplane cut one string of power lines that were perpendicular to the flight path; the falling line hit one witness in the head. Another witness said that the wings were nearly vertical to the ground when the airplane hit. The right wing hit in the street, and the airplane went through a set of power lines parallel to the flight path. It continued through a wire fence with a cinder block wall behind it, and through another cinderblock wall with a wire fence behind it.
A Cessna 414 departed behind the CitationJet. Just after the tower cleared the 414 for takeoff, one of the CitationJet's pilots indicated that they wanted to return for landing. The tower asked if they could make it back to runway 34L, and the crew acknowledged 34L. A few seconds later the tower cleared them to land on any runway, and the response was OK. The 414 pilot had the CitationJet in sight, and indicated that he was looking down at it, and it appeared to be slow. He saw the slight left turn, and the hard right into the ground. He was able to maneuver away from the fireball.
Some witnesses thought that they saw dark objects fall from the airplane, and enter the left engine. The airport did two checks for loose objects, and found nothing. Law enforcement scoured the area from the end of the runway to the crash site, and found nothing. Most of this space was an open sod field.
Investigators established control continuity, determined that the gear were down, and the speed brakes were stowed. The left engine separated, and was 100 feet in front of the main wreckage. It turned freely when manually rotated. The right engine remained in place, but sustained mechanical damage and would not rotate. The sides were crushed, and cinder block pieces were in the inlet.
Examination of the front left baggage door indicated that the key mechanism was in the unlocked position. The Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) noted that upon energizing the electrical system, the amber master caution light would illuminate, and an amber annunciator light would flash if the cabin entry door, either of the forward baggage doors, or the tail cone door was not key locked. After pressing the master caution light, it would extinguish, but the DOOR NOT LOCKED annunciator light would remain on continuously. The annunciator panel is in the middle of the glare shield across the top of the instrument panel.
A review of previous reports noted other instances of a front baggage door popping open on several different Citation models. In some cases the door separated, and the crews landed uneventfully. In at least one case, a front baggage door on a model with a similar nose configuration stayed attached. That crew returned to the departure airport, and landed successfully.
A Complete Mystery
The left engine separated, and was 100 feet in front of the main wreckage. It turned freely when manually rotated
I have never flown a Citation, but will be commencing endorsement training shortly on a Citation II.
I have previously been told that the assymetric effect of an engine failure on a Citation or any bizjet with similar positioned engines is rather benign due to those positions. Could any Citation pilots confirm this please?
Also, are the NTSB reasonably timely with regard to the final analysis of their investigations, or do they take some time?
JT
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Just to clarify
Nose baggage doors on Citations are held by two verticle clasps, there is a key lock in the middle, which is tied to the annunciator panel.
A failure of a hinges, which are not exposed, inside the baggage area, and by looking at thier design multiiple rivets, ect, so so rare...possible? Ok
I know I sound like a broken record...but I will say it again...
In order for the baggage door to come unlocked the clasps had to be missed on preflight, if they were unlocked, but the key lock was locked, then the annunciator panel would be clear, but two unlocked clasps were sticking out that two pilots missed.
Even so, supposing that they had a little midget stoway in the baggage area, that they missed, decided to start kicking it open on take off, baggage door flapping, midget goes thru the engine, the plane WILL fly.
As well, lets assume that all was done right, and simply god forbid I am flying at 45000 at Mach .76 and the baggage door comes undone, in my world I am ready for that, mechanical failure does happen.
A failure of a hinges, which are not exposed, inside the baggage area, and by looking at thier design multiiple rivets, ect, so so rare...possible? Ok
I know I sound like a broken record...but I will say it again...
In order for the baggage door to come unlocked the clasps had to be missed on preflight, if they were unlocked, but the key lock was locked, then the annunciator panel would be clear, but two unlocked clasps were sticking out that two pilots missed.
Even so, supposing that they had a little midget stoway in the baggage area, that they missed, decided to start kicking it open on take off, baggage door flapping, midget goes thru the engine, the plane WILL fly.
As well, lets assume that all was done right, and simply god forbid I am flying at 45000 at Mach .76 and the baggage door comes undone, in my world I am ready for that, mechanical failure does happen.
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April in Austria, from airliners.net.
As report states, looks flyable in this situation, line the holes in the cheese up though and other circumstances may have led to this tragic accident.
RIP
