New G650 test crash

[boeingboy]

http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/plane-skid ... in-roswell
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/2-pilots-2-tes ... 9-205.html

G650 test aircraft with 2 pilots and 2 flight test engineers aboard crashed. All 4 died.

Apparently in another article - they were doing touch and go's as part of their certification test flights when the plane became airborne and wallowed, then impacted the runway. It will be interesting to see what happened.....usually, in these days - test flights do not end in disaster.

RIP to the crew.

[LegoMan]

We forget to soon the sacrifices of these test pilots and engineers who put their lives on the line to develop safer and better aircraft for us to travel in. RIP

[bizjets101]

Wow, just came in the door and I have a kinds of emails on this accident, in the video link below you can see the Air Canada B767's in storage at Rosewell International Air Center, New Mexico!!

Sounds like the aircraft suffered a gear collapse, skidded and hit a structure???

Local News Coverage

N652GD Gulfstream G650 airframe number 2.
Gulfstream Press Release


photo Ned Harris/Flickr

[bizjets101]

Jon Ostrower/Washington, DC 19:30

The US Federal Aviation Administration and Gulfstream Aerospace has confirmed has confirmed one of its five G650 test aircraft crashed at Roswell International Air Center Airport in Roswell, New Mexico, killing two pilots and two test engineers aboard.

According to the FAA, the aircraft - operating as Gulstream Test 31 - had spent the morning, approximately 2.5h, conducting takeoff-performance and brake testing when the aircraft when it was cleared for takeoff on runway 21, at around 09:30 local time.

update departure runway 21 not 15.

[402_pilot]

Having recently done training at FSI Savannah, I had the opportunity to take the tour of the G650 assembly line. Looks like such a promising project and those men/women put so much pride in building these fine airplanes, it hurts to see this happen. RIP to the crew.

[bizjets101]

Click here Roswell Intl Air Center Airport - aircraft departure on runway 17 - veered off runway - just missed the last airliner - and ended up just short of the control tower.

[Hedley]

The flow of data is important to aviation safety, bizjets101 - I get that.

But your excitement over a fatal crash is getting a tad creepy.

[bizjets101]

You are mistaken 'shock' for excitement.

I choose to post on AvCanada to inform fellow aviators of serious incidents or accidents, your welcome to not view any of my posts.

In fact when the US Air ditched in the Hudson - was the last time I found an aviation event to be what I call 'shocking'.

For example; http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... -four.html Jon is a friend of mine, who as you see was on the ball posting the same for flight global.

For example; http://www.pprune.org/biz-jets-ag-flyin ... -dead.html close to 10,000 aviators and enthusiasts have visited this pprune post in less than 24 hours

Though you may find it uneasy for whatever reasons, I can assure you it is of interest to others.

For the Seven Gulfstream Heavy's in Canada - I'm sure their crews will be avidly watching this event and looking for factual information.

I might add one of the flightcrew of the new G550 for Barrick Gold was the person that hired me at Skycharter back in the 70's!!, my first aviation job. I know for a fact he'll be following this!

[bizjets101]

To put this accident into perspective for a non-biz jet person, the first Gulfstream IV flew for the first time on September 19 1985. Since that day Gulfstream has built and delivered closing in on 1800 G-IV, G300, G400, G450, GV, G500, G550, G650.

Out of the world fleet, there has only EVER been one fatal Gulfstream accident - (of the modern Gulfstreams mentioned above) N23AC a G-IV that lost control on take-off in heavy winds in Chicago.

Amazing record for a 25 year history.

Two others have been written off without fatalities - a UK ship that over ran a runway at Teterboro - and a very intriguing accident in Palm Beach.

N777TY; Click here for details.

So the second fatal accident in 25 years - for a true biz jet enthusiast - comes as quite a shock.

[burhead1]

I like the information thank you!
It is what makes us better and safer pilots.

[bizjets101]

Great shot of N652GD photo from Matt Birch taken at Savannah back in October.

Just noticed he has a great shot of N55RG Gulfstream II this is aircraft serial number 1 - first flew on October 2nd 1966!!!!, and is still flying today.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N55RG Same original owner - delivered September 1970!!!!

Incidentally a FAA spokesperson told an AOPA rep that the starboard wingtip hit the runway on lift off, causing the Gulfstream to slam into the runway. It was reported a 10 knot crosswind.

On a side note, the video from the news actually shows two separate fires burning at the
accident site.

Also being a Gulfstream test flight, all data would have been being sent to a ground station at all times, this will probably be the one bizjet accident with the most data ever.

Click Here details on the only other fatal Gulfstream crash in 25 year history of the larger G-IV - G650 - which was also a take off accident.

[55+]

Thanks bizjets101........... I always enjoyed reading your commentary as I tire of the airline continued rants on this and that. I have acquaintances in the Corporate Aviation sector whom I communicate with, and I am keenly interested in hearing the goings on in that part of aviation.

Cheers

[bizjets101]

Video from the crash site click here . . .

[burhead1]

Unfortunately it looks like it was a survivable accident.

[bizjets101]

[fanspeed]

Rest in peace.

[bizjets101]

Captain of ill fated flight,

"Mr. Crenshaw is a business jet test pilot and a former US Air Force test pilot, university professor, and airline pilot with over 11,000 hours of flight time. He is an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) with both domestic and international flight experience and an FAA Certificated Flight Instructor in single engine, multi-engine, and glider aircraft. He is also an FAA Designated Engineering Representative (DER) as a Flight Test Pilot for Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation with type ratings in the Lear 35, Gulfstream II, Gulfstream III, Gulfstream IV-SP, and Gulfstream V/G450/550. He is currently the Chief Project Test Pilot for Gulfstream commercial and special missions test programs. Prior to his work with Gulfstream, Mr. Crenshaw was the Chief Test Pilot for Northrop Grumman, Chief Test Pilot for the B-2 Program. At the USAF Test Pilot School, he taught both in the classroom as Chief of Academics and in the cockpit where he was a flight instructor in the Northrop T-38 Talon, De Havilland Beaver, De Havilland Twin Otter, and gliders. After retirement from the Air Force, he flew for Northwest Airlines flying DC-9’s (-10, -30, and -50 models). Mr. Crenshaw is an Associate Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), and a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)."

I am in awe of his accomplishments, and to quote a poster on pprune,

'It is obvious the entire crew had impeccable qualifications; sometimes fate truly is the hunter...'

[boeingboy]

NTSB update as reported by AIN.......

NTSB Issues Preliminary Report on G650 Crash
The flight-test Gulfstream G650 that crashed in Roswell, N.M., on Saturday “was performing a takeoff with a simulated engine failure to determine takeoff distance requirements at minimum flap setting” at the time of the accident, according to an NTSB preliminary report released this morning. The two test pilots and two technical specialists aboard were killed in the crash, and the twinjet was destroyed. The report said the aircraft slid approximately 3,800 feet from where the first wing scrapes were seen on Runway 21 at Roswell International Air Center Airport, and struck several obstructions before it came to rest on fire, but upright about 200 feet from the airport’s control tower. In a statement issued this morning, Gulfstream pledged its cooperation with the NTSB. “We are participating fully in the aircraft investigation, and will resume flying the G650 only when we and the [FAA] are satisfied it is safe to do so,” said Pres Henne, Gulfstream’s senior vice president for programs, engineering and test. The airframer noted that all other certification and production work on the program would continue. Earlier this week, Jay Johnson, chairman and CEO of parent company General Dynamics expressed his sympathy for the families of the crew, along with his confidence in the 650 program. The accident G650, S/N 6002, had accumulated more than 425 flight hours since it first flew in February last year.

[bizjets101]

NTSB Preliminary Report all subject to change . . .

N652GD's first flight February 25 2010

[YYZSaabGuy]

"...your excitement over a fatal crash is getting a tad creepy." One might argue the same is true, Hedley, of your recent (and apparently growing) fascination with butter...

Accident investigation is an important aspect of aviation training. Investigation has to start somewhere - where more appropriate than with the initial reporting of the event upon its occurrence? And on through the actual investigation, to publication of the analytics and the report, to modification of procedures and training as a result of the findings. Many significant advances in aeronautics and aviation have been paid for in blood. Accident investigation helps ensure it wasn't spilled in vain. Somebody with your experience should've figured that out by now.