N220JC

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 23, 2000, at about 1141 eastern daylight time, a Learjet 55, N220JC, registered to Universal Jet Aviation Inc., operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 repositioning flight, and a Extra Flugzeugbau GMBH, EA-300S, N300XS, registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, experienced an in-flight collision about 2.5 nautical miles southwest of the Boca Raton Airport (BCT), Boca Raton, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. An IFR flight plan had been filed for N220JC, but it had not been activated with air traffic control. No flight plan was filed for N300XS. Both airplanes were destroyed. The airline transport rated pilot-in-command (PIC), commercial pilot co-pilot (CP), and commercial pilot observer/passenger in N220JC was fatally injured. The commercial pilot in N300XS was fatally injured. N220JC departed BCT about 2 minutes before the accident, and N300XS departed Pompano Beach Airpark (PMP) Pompano Beach, Florida, about 4 minutes before the accident.

A witness located at the BCT airport stated the Learjet departed BCT at about 1135. The pilot made a right crosswind, followed by a 45-degree turn departing the traffic pattern. The witness observed a small airplane about 3 to 4 miles southwest of the airport at about 1,000 feet. All of a sudden he observed the small airplane start what appeared to be an evasive maneuver with a descending turn, and the Learjet collided with the smaller airplane, followed by an explosion.

Another witness stated he was at camp located south of Glades Road and north of Palmetto Park when he heard the sound of an airplane engine. He looked up to identify the plane since his father is always asking him what type of airplane is this, and observed a jet. He observed a propeller plane that appeared to be on the same approach path as the jet, but it appeared that they were at different altitudes, and he thought they would not hit each other. The jet was flying towards the southwest and the propeller plane was flying towards the northeast, but then he observed the left wing of the propeller plane collide with the left wing of the jet, and the propeller plane's wing started to break up. Flames shot out the back of the jet, there was a loud bang, and the jet turned into a giant fireball.

An additional witness located at the Boca West Country Club stated he observed a jet that appeared to have just departed the BCT airport. The airplane was in a climb at about 1,000 feet. He then observed a smaller airplane flying towards the northeast towards the Learjet. The smaller airplane appeared to collide with the left rear tail section of the Learjet. There was a little smoke right after the collision and the Learjet split in two pieces. The smaller airplane fell to the ground in pieces. The front section of the Learjet went down nose first, and fire was coming out of the rear of the separated fuselage, followed by an explosion. He also observed a parachute in the sky, and lost sight of the Learjet when it disappeared from view below the tree line.

Review of radio communications between PMP tower and N300XS revealed N300XS departed PMP at 1537:40 (1137:40), and requested and received a frequency change at 1540:00. There was no other recorded conversation with N300XS. Review of N220JC cockpit voice recorder reveals that N220JC departed BCT at 1139:41. The end of the recording is at 1141:37. (For additional information see Pompano Beach ATCT transcript and NTSB Group Chairman Cockpit Voice Recorder Factual Report, an attachment to this report.)

Review of radar data revealed N220JC was off the ground at BCT at 1540:53. The airplane was observed to start a right crosswind departure at 1541:02, passing through 700 feet on a heading of 242 degrees. At 1541:16, N220JC was at 1,400 feet heading 269 degrees with a ground speed of 191 knots. N300XS was observed on radar at 1538:25 off of PMP at 1,000 feet on a heading of 045 degrees. At 1540:43, N300XS was at 2,400 feet heading 341 with a ground speed of 169 knots. At 1541:11, N300XS is at 2,500 feet heading 346 degrees with a ground speed of 171 knots. N300XS descends to 2,400 feet at 1541:25 on a heading of 342 degrees with a ground speed of 172 knots. At 1541:30, N300XS is observed on radar turning to the right on a heading of 360 degrees with a ground speed of 173 knots. N220JC is observed in a climbing left turn passing through 2,300 feet on a heading of 269 degrees with a 180-knot ground speed. The last radar return on both aircraft was at 1541:30.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The PIC of N220JC was hired by Universal Jet Aviation on June 3, 1999, as a contract pilot, and was promoted to the Director of Training and Chief Pilot on May 26, 2000. He held an airline transport pilot certificate with ratings and limitations for airplane single engine land, airplane multiengine land, instrument airplane issued on March 23, 2000. In addition, he held a flight instructor certificate with ratings and limitations for airplane single engine, multiengine, and instrument airplane on June 26, 1998. He held a first-class medical certificate issued on March 30, 2000, with no restrictions.

The CP of N220JC was hired by Universal Jet Aviation on November 19, 1999, as an IRS 1099 contract pilot. He held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings and limitations for airplane single engine land, airplane multiengine land, and instrument airplane issued on April 26, 1999. He was issued a second-class medical certificate on March 31, 2000, with no limitations.

The observer/passenger was hired by Universal Jet Aviation on April 21, 2000, as an IRS 1099 contract pilot, and was not performing any crewmember functions at the time of the accident. He held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings and limitations for airplane single engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane issued on January 24, 2000. He held a second-class medical certificate issued on January 7, 2000, with no restrictions.

The pilot of N300XS held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings and limitations for airplane single engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane issued on June 29, 1975. In addition he held a flight instructor certificate with a rating for airplane single engine issued on March 12, 2000. He held a second-class medical certificate issued on March 8, 2000, with no restrictions. The pilot's logbook was not located. According to friends, the pilot kept his logbook in the airplane.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

N220JC is a Learjet model 55, serial No. 050, manufactured in 1982. The airplane is owned and operated by Universal Jet Aviation Inc., Boca Raton, Florida. The airplane was equipped with two Garrett TFE-731-3AR-2B engines. Available maintenance records indicate the last maintenance inspection was conducted on January 20, 2000. The airplane has flown 287 hours since the last inspection and has accumulated 8,557 total airframe hours. The maintenance records revealed compliance with all manufacture's Service Bulletins and FAA Airworthiness Directives.

N300XS is an Extra-Flugzeugbau GMBH model EA-300S, serial No. 05, manufactured in 1992. The airplane is owned and was operated by the deceased pilot. The airplane was equipped with a Lycoming AE10-540-L1B5 engine. A friend of the deceased pilot who is a qualified aircraft and power plant mechanic stated he performed the last annual inspection on N300XS on March 6, 2000. He further stated the aircraft logbooks were in the airplane at the time of the accident. The aircraft logbooks were not located. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The nearest weather reporting facility at the time of the accident was Palm Beach International Airport, West Palm Beach, Florida. The 1123 surface weather observation was: 25,000 scattered, visibility 10 miles, temperature 92 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point temperature 68 degrees Fahrenheit, wind variable at 5 knots, and altimeter 30.09 inHg. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

FLIGHT RECORDERS

N220JC was equipped with a Fairchild model A100A cockpit voice recorder. The recorder was forwarded to the NTSB laboratory for analysis. The recording consisted of 4 channels of good quality audio information. (For additional information see NTSB Group Chairman Cockpit Voice Recorder Factual Report an attachment to this report.)

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The paint scheme of N220JC was white with blue stripes. The paint scheme of N300XS was red with thick white stripes and thin blue stripes. In addition, N300XS had red stars on the fuselage, wing, and horizontal stabilizer.

Examination of the crash site revealed N220JC and N300XS collided about 2.5 nautical miles south west of BCT in the vicinity of Estancia West (gated community) located in Boca Raton, Florida, at latitude 26 degrees 48 minutes 443 seconds North, longitude 82 degrees 01 minutes 206 seconds West. The crash debris line was on a heading of 240-degrees magnetic, and extended about 1/2 mile. The engine assembly of 300XS was located near the edge of a lake located in the back yard of a residence at 7197 Encina Lane in Estancia West. Numerous composite components from N300XS were located in Estancia South (gated community) between 6878 and 6964 Giralda Circle. The right engine of N220JC was located in the front yard of 6964 Giralda Circle. Composite fragments from N300XS were located on the Boca Grove Plantation golf course (gated community) between the 15th and 14th hole. N220JC right engine inlet and the aft pressure bulkhead were located in the vicinity of the 14th green. A segment of N220JC fuselage roof from fuselage station 378 to fuselage station 401 was located next to the 14th hole adjacent to Mandarin Drive. The pilot of N300XS was located in front of a private residence located at 21144 Ormond Court. The tail section of N220JC separated at fuselage station 392.5 and was located in the vicinity of the 17th tee adjace...