N46TJ

On October 10, 1994, approximately 1900 central daylight time, a Gates Learjet Corp. 35A, N46TJ, received minor damage during an uncontained engine failure climb. The airplane, owned by a Mexican corporation and flown by two commercial pilots, was on a cross country positioning flight. An IFR flight plan was filed and in effect and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. Neither pilot was injured.

In their written report the crew reported that they were en route from Laredo, Texas, to Dallas, Texas, and climbing through FL200, when they "heard a noise, right engine suddenly stopped, and the airplane began to yaw." They secured the right engine, executed the emergency check list, and requested to divert to San Antonio. During the descent, the crew noticed they had no hydraulic pressure and that activation of the hydraulic pump did not restore pressure. During the ensuing landing, the crew was "unable to stay on the taxiway and came to a stop a few yards beyond the taxiway in the grass."

Initial examination revealed that the right engine cowling had punctures from the inside out. After the cowling was removed there was physical evidence that the number 3 turbine wheel had experienced a failure and that the failure was uncontained. Pieces of the turbine wheel had also penetrated the fuselage in the area of the equipment bay. The pieces entering the equipment bay also severed the hydraulic lines and separated the bay door.

All pieces of the number 3 turbine wheel were lost following the uncontained failure resulting in no metallurgical testing being performed.