Learjet 55 accident near Van Nuys, California, July 15, 2006
On July 15, 2006 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Learjet 55, registered N554CL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Van Nuys, California (Van Nuys Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight fire of undetermined origins.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 2006 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Van Nuys, California · Van Nuys Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Learjet 55 · all 55s on the register
- Registration
- N554CL · registry record · serial 040
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was about 500-600 feet above ground level (agl) on approach to landing when the emergency pressurization and right bleed air annunciator lights illuminated simultaneously. There was no change in the cabin pressurization, and the crew decided to continue and land. About 100-200 feet agl, the left bleed air light illuminated and the cabin pressure went to emergency. The crew switched the cabin air off. They landed, taxied quickly to their parking area, and turned the left and right bleed air switches off prior to engine shutdown. The flight line crew notified the flight crew that smoke was coming out of the ram air vent in the dorsal fin area. The pilot indicated that no smoke or smells entered the cabin or cockpit. He also pointed out that the air conditioner was blowing hot air and its operation appeared to be intermittent; the passengers had complained about the high temperature in the cabin. External visual examination revealed heat discoloration and wavy skin on the aft fuselage skin starting at station 512.39, frame 39, which extended aft to station 544.39, frame 41. Internal examination of the empennage in the tail cone access door revealed that frames 39, 39a, and 41 were scorched and sooty. In the aft E & E compartment in the tail cone, investigators observed fire damage to the windshield heat shutoff valve, left and right mixing valve control boxes and associated wiring, landing light/taxi light/auxiliary hydraulic pump relay box, upper side of the flow control valve, and the windshield heat shutoff valve and wiring. There was evidence of leakage and blow-by on the outflow flange of the windshield heat modulating valve; however, the observed damage was not as severe as would be expected if bleed air was the initiator of the fire. The evidence was inclusive for an electrical origin for the fire.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,798 hours in all; 395 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 71 in the last 30 days; 2,785 as pilot in command; 1,059 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 170 in the last 90 days; 71 in the last 30 days; 1,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,343 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 21,500 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Garrett TFE731-2-2C (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Garrett TFE731-2-2C (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
- Operator: Clay Lacy Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: LAS Las Vegas NV at 10:45 pm
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16R, 8,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 pm from VNY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N554CL the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.