AIRLIFE Denver - Non-injury incident

Date: 10-20-08  MST

Program: AIRLIFE Denver
	501 E. Hampden Avenue
	Englewood, CO  80113

Type: Learjet 25
Tail #: N251AL
Operator/Vendor: International Jet Aviation

Weather: Clear. Not a factor

Team: Captain, First Officer, 2 Flight Nurses. No injuries reported. No patient. 

Description: 
	After takeoff the cockpit crew and nurses noticed an "unusual noise". 
	The source could not be isolated and it sounded like "electrical
	arcing".  The team also smelled what they thought might have been
	smoke or something burning. 
	 
	The aircraft immediately returned to Centennial Airport and the team
	transferred to the fixed-wing backup aircraft.   After the transfer
	had been completed, the Captain noted that the First Officer had left
	his keys in the door when he initially entered the aircraft.  (When
	the Learjet clamshell doors are open, the keys are not visible.)
	 
	After a thorough inspection of the aircraft by maintenance personnel
	it was surmised that the source of the noise was the keys flapping
	against the door.  The source of the smell could not be found and may
	have been due to a heightened awareness by the crew when they heard
	what they thought was electrical arcing and the fact that the heat had
	just been turned on. 
	

Additional Info: 
	Although this is the only known occurence of this event for the
	operator in 29 years of operation it could have resulted in the keys
	becoming dislodged and causing engine damage or failure.
	 
	Cockpit procedures have been changed.  Now, when the Captain secures
	the door prior to departure, he visually ensures that keys have been
	removed and calls out to the First Officer: "two [handles] forward and
	keys are clear".  The First Officer response (after examining the
	aircraft annunciator panel) is: "[door] light is out". 
	

Source: Rod Champney, Chief Pilot, IJA & Jana Williams, Program Dir

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information with your program staff. If you have further questions, please
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