Jet crash

“Learjet Crash Kills Two

Plane Was Headed To Pick Up Passengers

Dec 23, 2003 10:45 am US/Pacific
VICTORVILLE, Calif. (AP) A small business jet flying from California to Idaho crashed and exploded in a Mojave Desert canyon Tuesday, authorities said.

The Lear 24B had two pilots aboard and no passengers, said Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Donn Walker. The twin-engine jet was headed to Sun Valley, Idaho, to pick up passengers.

The aircraft was obliterated and survivors were unlikely, said California Highway Patrol spokesman Tom Marshall.

The plane was operated by Pavair of Santa Monica, Calif. It had left Chino, east of Los Angeles, and was headed to Sun Valley, Idaho, Marshall said.

The pilot told air traffic control he needed to return to Chino and was cleared to do so, Walker said. Sometime after that the pilot declared an emergency and then the FAA lost contact with the jet at 9:10 a.m. when it was at about 24,000 feet.

A CHP officer saw the jet go down west of Interstate 15, between Victorville and Barstow.

Victorville is about 60 miles northeast of Los Angeles.


very close tomy house.”

“How close was it to your house?”

“Who is this Tomy fellow?”

“Contacted a friend who lives out there and he said it crashed not very far from busy I-15 between Barstow & Victorville, just outside of Helendale. If it had Helendale or hit the road, with all its holiday traffic going between Las Vegas & LA, it would have been a real disaster.”