LANSING, MI — A test flight involving a Raytheon Hawker 800XP business jet ended in tragedy on October 16, resulting in the death of three individuals when the aircraft crashed in Bath Township, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The plane, registered in Mexico, had been undergoing maintenance for seven months in Battle Creek, MI, which included removing part of the wing. Pilots elected to conduct a stall test themselves after failing to secure a qualified test pilot, despite being provided a list, the NTSB report noted.
Witnesses reported seeing the jet rapidly descend, with flight tracking data indicating a rate of descent of up to 24,000 feet per minute. Video footage captured the aircraft spiraling towards the ground before it vanished from view, subsequently releasing a large plume of smoke.
The crew onboard included two pilots employed by the jet owner and a maintenance representative. The NTSB stated that the aircraft's manual emphasized that pilots performing stall tests should have prior experience with the Hawker model and be ready for unpredictable stall behavior.
Ongoing investigations aim to determine the crash's cause, with a final report expected within a year. The NTSB has previously investigated at least three other stall test incidents involving business jets.