Learjet 24D accident near Belleville, Illinois, November 12, 2003
On November 12, 2003 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Learjet 24D, registered N77JL, was destroyed in an accident near Belleville, Illinois (St. Louis Downtown Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of power to the right engine and the partial loss of power to the left engine after the airplane encountered a flock of birds during initial climb out, resulting in impeded ram induction airflow.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 12, 2003 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Belleville, Illinois · St. Louis Downtown Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Learjet 24D · all 24Ds on the register
- Registration
- N77JL · no longer on the register · serial 5170311
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
!!THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED JANUARY 12, 2006!! The turbojet airplane was destroyed during a forced landing and post accident fire after a loss of power in both engines during takeoff climb. The pilot reported that both engines operated normally during taxi and pre-takeoff checks. He reported that, "We rotated positive rate gear up, V2 plus 30 flaps up, and at that point we struck birds taking No. 2 engine out. Upon losing No. 2 engine I advanced thrust levers forward and realized that the No. 1 engine was only producing approximately 70% RPM with EGT over read line." He executed a forced landing to a field and the crew and passengers evacuated the burning airplane. The copilot reported, "At approximately 500 to 1,000 ft. above ground level, I observed a large flock of birds straight ahead of us, and then passing just off our nose to the left side. I immediately heard an engine flameout. As I started to go to the checklist for single engine operations, I quickly realized that we were loosing airspeed and unable to maintain altitude. The PIC said we were going down and heading for the best emergency-landing stop." The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) recorded the pilot stating, "We hit a bird," and the copilot stating, "Yep," immediately following the CVR recording a "sound similar to decrease in engine RPM." The inspection of the airplane's fuel system, pneumatic system, engines, fuel controls and fuel pumps revealed no pre-impact anomaly. No physical evidence of bird ingestion was found in either engine. A CVR sound spectrum plot and a flight profile analysis revealed that one engine flamed out almost immediately after the sound of a "thump" on the CVR. The other engine's speed decreased and experienced stalls until the engine speed was reduced to flight idle. The original engine certification tests indicated that compressor stalls occurred when a 2-4 ounce starling was shot ingested into the engine, but physical damage from bird ingestion was very slight due to the all steel construction and geometry of the engine. Engine flameouts, however, were not recorded during the certification tests. A wildlife specialist conducted a bird count at the accident airport two days after the accident occurred, and he reported counting a flock of about 800 European Starlings.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,054 hours in all; 760 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 9,054 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 25, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,400 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 3,287 as pilot in command; 1,220 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 29, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,653.4 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 27, 2003; 11.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 15,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric CJ610-6 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric CJ610-6 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Multi-Aero Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: CPS St. Louis MO at 12:41 pm
- Destination: LBF North Platte NE
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 12R, 6,997 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from CPS, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI04FA029.