A medical transport Learjet 35 crashed near Gillespie Field in El Cajon, California, killing all four occupants (two pilots, two flight nurses) but causing no ground injuries on the ground.
The pilot, after initially being cleared for an IFR approach to Runway 17, requested to cancel IFR and switch to Runway 27R for a circle-to-land procedure, despite heavy rain and confirming airport lights were already at maximum intensity.
Approximately 75 seconds after receiving instructions for Runway 27R, the aircraft experienced an abrupt loss of altitude during its turn from base leg to final, crashing into a residential neighborhood, and the incident is under federal investigation.
Federal officials are investigating the accident involving a Learjet 35 that came down in a neighborhood near Gillespie Field (KSEE) in El Cajon, California, on the evening of December 27.
The four people on board the aircraft, reported to be two pilots and two flight nurses, were killed. There were no reported injuries of persons on the ground.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
