A biz jet departed ORSU , reports of an engine fire and a attempt to return to the airport. Press reports state pilot, co-pilot, flight attendant and four passengers killed - unclear if anyone else was on board.
Aircraft had been chartered by AsiaCell - a mobile phone company from Iraq - the plane had arrived from Ankara - and was departing to Ankara - when it crashed shortly after 5pm local time.
Will update . . .
News outlets reported it as a Hawker with 13 souls. 7 killed 6 seriously injured. An investor with a 19% share of the company was killed in the accident. You would think he would have traveled in his own jet.
If true, what Hawker can you cram 10 passengers + 3 crew in it?
It was a Hawker 850XP OD-SKY of Sky Lounge, Beirut - with 7 on board - no survivors.
Crew of two Jordanians, 1 Lebanese - passengers - a Board Member of Iraqi cell phone company ‘Asiacell’ owned by The Faruk Holding Group - based near he site of the crash.
Aircraft confirmed as Photo scroll down to 2nd photo
This is probably a one-off event but have there ever been issues with the Hawker family of aircraft that they are known for?
Interesting question.
There are currently two major investigations of previous Hawker accidents, you can google the registrations; N818MV and RA-02807.
ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_i … 1166&key=1
ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?ev_ … 035&akey=1
I’m still not sure if this accident aircraft was a 850XP or a 900XP - the two accidents above are 800’s, so an 850XP is an 800 with winglets, and a 900XP is a 800 with winglets and upgraded engines.
The only other 800 that crashed was a Mexican Hawker 800 that made a wrong turn!!, and flew into a hill - so not the aircraft’s fault.
If this crash turns out to be a 900XP - and the reports so far indicate a mechanical problem with an engine - it will be the first crash of a 900 model and first crash of a TFE731-50 powered aircraft.
Anymore news or info on the cause of this incident? Or Chain of events, conditions?
thanks
Military had barred reporters from anywhere near the crash site, so very little real details have been released.
The starboard engine stalled at/or just after lift off, pilot contacted atc stating right engine had stalled - and was attempting to return to the airport.
It seems Lebanon is handling the investigation with the assistance of the French Government who received the data recorders, and the NTSB as the aircraft was USA built.
If I hear anything I’ll post updates. Could be awhile!!!
It seems I do have an update after all.
The voice recorder went to France, and the data recorder went to Washington for decoding - it will then be sent to France.
French Investigators state the aircraft crashed on take-off, tape ends five seconds after lift-off.
The last words captured were the co-pilot, “Wow,oh my God, oh my God!” and the passengers are heard screaming.
The recordings revealed that the plane computer issued a ‘bank angle’’ warning, to indicate the plane’s abnormal swing to the right.
Analysis also revealed the plane crashed and caught fire after its right engine stalled due to wind shear.
The above is unofficial - as they await the analysis of the black box’s data recorder. Seems the French don’t mind releasing info after all!!!
The pilot, Marwan Dahleh, was a dear friend of ours. He had been flying for over 40 years and had experience on all sorts of aircraft. He was Jordanian but also was an American Citizen. He will be missed terribly by his friends, his wife and his four sons. Rest in Peace, Marwan.
Very sorry for your loss.
Flight crew;
Captain Marwan al-Dhali- Jordanian
Co-Pilot Abdallah Yazbek - Lebanese
Air Hostess Stephanie Louqa - Lebanese
It was Mr. Yazbek who is heard on the Cockpit Voice Recorder.
Click Here photos of OD-SKY.
Thank you for the update and Labuel, I’m also very sorry for your loss.
Hopefully we will have some more official information from the authorities soon.
They are supposed to release a preliminary report within 30 days of the accident - but we’re dealing with Lebanon and Iraq with assistance from France and USA - so I’ve not read anything new as yet.
Two previous biz jet accidents in the country - one was a USAF Learjet and the US Military handled the investigation, the other was a German Citation - and Germany handled the investigation.
‘We are really still trying to deal with the loss of a dear friend and haven’‘t heard anymore about the investigation…with so many ‘‘fingers in the pie’’ it’‘s really no wonder that something hasn’'t been released. Thanks for the latest info you have.
They didn’t release the Ethiopian B737 Preliminary for awhile after last years accident that claimed 90 lives off the Lebanese Coast. We’ll see how long this takes!!! They sign international treaties that require the report - but??
They only issued a progress report on that accident on Feb 11/11 and the accident was January 2010.
However with the progress report released click here took them over a year.
So I suspect there will be a preliminary released soon (I emailed the Govt. see if they get back to me??) and then in a year or so a progress report. It won’t be final but should provide a lot of so far, unknown information.
They’re know for being tough sons of bitches.
“You should have seen the other guy!”
Net Jets Hawker following mid air @ FL200 with glider near Reno, NV. Female Captain, First Officer and all passengers walked away with no injuries.