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1. INVESTIGATION
1.1 History of the Flight
N804LJ, a Lear Jet Model 23, was operated by the Lear Jet Corporation to provide transportation for a company official from Wichita, Kansas, to Detroit, Michigan, on October 21, 1965. The aircraft arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport at approximately 1738.[1]The company official, who remained in Detroit, reported that the pilot had mentioned a possible yaw damper problem during descent. He further stated, ". . . after we had landed and were taxiing into the executive terminal in Detroit I mentioned to (the pilot) the fact that I didn't notice the roughness he thought he might encounter, and he said no, the yaw damper seemed to be functioning all right."
Following a briefing by a weather Bureau (WE) meteorologist, the crew filed an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan for the return trip to Wichita. They estimated a time en route of 2.40 hours with 3:30 hours of fuel on board, and requested a cruising altitude of Flight Level (FL) 410. At 1858 an IFR clearance was delivered to the flight. After some delay due to conflicting ground and airborne traffic N804LJ departed on Runway 03L at 1925. Four minutes later radio contact was established with Cleveland Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). The crew reported climbing through FL 180 to the assigned FL 250, and repeated an earlier request to Departure Control that they be cleared to climb ". . . as soon as possible." At 1931 the flight reported level at FL 250. At 1932 they were assigned a new frequency for communications with Cleveland ARTCC. The acknowledgement of the new frequency was the last transmission received from N404LJ.
- ↑ All times herein are eastern standard, based on the 24-hour clock.
