Thu, Dec 29, 2005
Two Pilots Listed Lost In Crash
A Lear 35 is reported down, just short of the runway, during an
approach in light rain and snow to Truckee Tahoe (NV) Airport. The
twinjet Lear went down at approximately 1400 local time after
flying in from Idaho falls, Idaho. The aircraft appears to be a
Lear 35A operated by Skyward Aviation (shown below) of Washington,
PA, and part of a multi-jet charter operation that includes a
Hawker 700A, a Beechjet 400A and Beechcraft King Airs.
The TFE731 powered Lear only had two persons on board (the
minimum crew compliment) at the time of the accident and carry as
many as ten people (including the two pilots). Both pilot/occupants
were listed as having perished on impact. Two passengers were
scheduled to board the aircraft at KTRK, which sits some 5900'
MSL.
High winds (20 knots, and gusts to 40), blowing snow, and rain
were reported at the time of the accident. The aircraft went down
about a mile from the runway threshold, in a recreational area.
Witness reports published in the Sierra Sun noted that "The right
wing went straight up with the left wing straight down, then the
left wing went straight up... Then it hit the ground with the
biggest ball of flame you've ever seen. The ball of flame was
bigger than any tree around here," according to Truckee resident
Mark Maisel.
Another resident, Brad Rabensteine, who claimed to be one of the
first on site at the crash, stated that it, "It made a hard left
bank turn. I don't know if the wind took it or what, but it went
straight into the ground. The ball of flame that went up was just
unbelievable. We ran out there, and there was nothing left."
Officials at the scene reported that the accident offered little
possibility of survival due to impact damage and post-crash fire.
Visuals of the impact site reveal a heavily broken-up airframe.
Investigating officials are both enroute and/or on scene.
ANN will post more information as it becomes available.
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