Avon Park

Witnesses near the airport saw the flight approach on a left base to runway 4, touchdown on the runway, and takeoff again. One witness, a pilot, said the airplane turned onto final to the 'south' (right) of the runway centerline.' The airplane made a 'sharp' turn to the left to realign with the runway center, slightly overshot the runway to the left, turned to the right 'sharply,' and touched down on the runway. The witness further stated, '...by the time the pilot was on the runway he had wasted approximately 1,200 to 1,500 feet of runway 4, they hit reverse thrusters [sic] and were on full bore till they crossed runway 27 and 9.' The witness saw heat come out of both engine thrust reversers, the nose gear touched down and then came up again. He then saw the airplane come off the ground about 30 to 40 feet, wobble left and right at a 'slow airspeed,' crossover a highway at a low altitude, right wing low, strike some wires, go into a field, and catch fire. The pilot said, when he touched down on the runway, the airplane seemed to 'lurch' to the side. He said at this point his airspeed was 126 knots. He elected to abort the landing, and applied full power. He said the engines would not develop thrust and he elected to land in a field less than 1/4 mile in front of him. Examination of the left thrust reverser revealed that the translator was in the deployed position, with the blocker doors fully open. Both the left and right pneumatic latches were found in the unlocked position. Examination of the right thrust reverser revealed that the translator was in the deployed position, with the blocker doors fully closed. The left pneumatic latch was found in the locked position. The right pneumatic latch was found in the unlocked position. The inboard sequence latches were found about 2 inches forward of full aft travel. The thrust reverser switch was found in the 'NORMAL' position. According to Gates Lear Jet Airworthiness Directive (AD) 79-08-01, '...to preclude inadvertent thrust reverser deployment and possible loss of aircraft control....,' the following limitations apply to all gates Lear Jet Model 35, 36, 35A, 36A, aircraft equipped with Aeronca Thrust reversers. According to the AD, Section I-LIMITATION; '....Thrust Reversers must not be operated prior to takeoff...Thrust Reversers must not be used for touch and go landings...After Thrust Reversers have been deployed, a visual check of proper door stowing must be made prior to takeoff...Operational Procedures in this Thrust Reverser Supplement are mandatory.' According to Lear Jet and FlightSafety International, the procedures that are taught to Lear Jet pilots in the use of thrust reverse and spoilers during landings are; '...pilots [are] to use thrust reverse only on full stop Lear Jet landings. Pilot are trained not to deploy spoilers or thrust reverse during touch and go's or during balked landings.' The pilot-in-command of N19LH at the time of the accident, told the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) that he was 'aware' of the limitations on the Aeronca Thrust Reverser and he knew that once the Thrust Reverser was deployed that he was 'committed' to land. The pilot told the IIC that he knew of the limitations and that he was committed to land.

After takeoff at dawn on a foggy morning, the airplane collided with electrical transmission wires about one mile from the end of the runway, on an extended line about 50 degrees left of the extended runway centerline. The left wing tip fuel tank (left main) was partially severed from the airplane, breaching the tank. Additionally, the top of the vertical stabilizer and rudder were severed, and a portion of the windscreen was separated. A suggestion was made by the operator that the autopilot trim may have been improperly set, precipitating a nose pitch down upon engagement of the autopilot during the climb. The airplane continued to fly for about 20 minutes, then impacted in a steep right wing down attitude into a densely wooded area that was surrounded by open terrain. The ensuing fire precluded any determination of engine malfunction, systems' discrepancies, or wire strike damage to the left propeller. No determination of pilot incapacitation was possible because of the post impact fire. Based upon the ground witness statement, the left engine was probably inoperative following the wire strike. The impact attitude was inconsistent with a decreasing speed loss of control with the left engine inoperative. However, the flight control trim settings, left main fuel tank selected, and throttle quadrant settings all may have been indicative of pilot incapacitation that precluded proper emergency procedure response. Additionally, the airplane impacted into a densely wooded area surrounded by flatter terrain absent of tall obstacles.

Upon touchdown at Avon Park Airport, tyre(s) burst. The crew lost control of the airplane that veered off runway, lost its undercarriage and came to rest. Both pilots escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.