Learjet 60 tail torn off storm

by Not A Newt: Learjet

a Learjet crew reported light ice and moderate turbulence before asking for a climb, then declared a mayday about an overspeed condition, descending 20,000 feet per minute. ADS-B data from Flightradar shows the aircraft fell from 35,000 feet in roughly 75 seconds with descent rates hitting 32,000 feet per minute. Dashcam footage captures the tail section completely missing. The analysis suggests a storm gust likely triggered an overspeed dive that overloaded the horizontal stabilizer beyond the certified ultimate load of 4.5 g found in FAA TCDS A10CE, the Learjet 60 AFM, and 14 CFR 25.303. The NTSB is still determining the cause.