What went wrong the night of Jan. 31 to turn the heavily used jet into a deadly rocket less than a minute after takeoff is a mystery that has left experts puzzled.
PHILADELPHIA — As Med Jets 056 taxied for takeoff, the red-and-white symbol of the Rod of Asclepius painted on its tail fin marked the aircraft’s purpose: lifesaving.
That’s the same model as the crashed jet, which killed all six people onboard and a person on the ground, and injured two dozen more in homes and cars around Roosevelt Mall. Normally, about 400 feet off the ground, the landing gear would be retracted. Between 700 and 1,000 feet, the jet’s twin engines should have created enough speed to bring in the flaps, which produce more lift for takeoff. By around 1,000 feet, the pilots would have engaged autopilot, Olivares said, and, by 1,500 feet, radioed for instructions to safely leave the area.
Although the Learjet 55 they flew had a lengthy history, with nine owners since its construction in 1982, that is not unusual for private jets.“There was no indication of mechanical problems or otherwise system issues,” he said. “If there would have been an issue, it wouldn’t have flown.”The dark skies above the airport at 6 p.m. Friday were wet and roiling with cloud cover.
“This did not have the earmarks of someone making an emergency landing,” said Guzzetti, who runs an aviation consultancy. “There was still engine power.” Other mishaps, like a jammed flap, can have similar effects in the right conditions. But Guzzetti added that such spontaneous mechanical faults were extremely rare.
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