NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT
Adopted: December 11, 1967
LEAR JET CORPORATION
LEAR JET MODEL 23, N804LJ
JACKSON, MICHIGAN
OCTOBER 21, 1965
SYNOPSIS
A Lear Jet Model 23, N804LJ, Operated by the Lear Jet Corporation crashed eight miles east—northeast of Jackson, Michigan, at approximately 1935 e.s.t., on October 21, 1965. The pilot and copilot were killed.
There were no passengers. The aircraft was destroyed by impact.
The flight was operating in accordance with an Instrument Flight Rules flight plan from Detroit, Michigan to Wichita, Kansas, at an assigned altitude of Flight Level 250. The radar controller working the flight established radar contact at 1933, and observed the target traveling in a southwest direction ". . when the aircraft started a sharp turn to the right (i.e. north) (sic). As the aircraft passed through a northerly heading the beacon target disappeared from the radar." The aircraft was traversing an area of moderate to severe turbulence when it deviated from the assigned route.
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was a loss of adequate attitude reference resulting from AC electrical power failure under night, turbulent conditions.
