Bombardier Learjet 55, Van Nuys, Calif., July 15, 2006–Learjet N554CL, operated by Clay Lacy Aviation, suffered an in-flight fire while on approach to Van Nuys. The crew reported that the airplane had not “cooled off” during the flight from Las Vegas. When the airplane was about 500 feet above the runway, the bleed air r and emer press annunciator lights illuminated. At 100 feet, the bleed air l light came on and airflow to the cabin increased as if the emergency pressurization had activated. The airplane landed and taxied in to the Clay Lacy ramp, with smoke coming out of the tail. The crew said they didn’t notice any odors in the cabin or baggage compartment when they were helping the passengers evacuate the airplane.
The left environmental control system (ECS) circuit breaker was found popped on the left side of the panel. On the right side, the right ECS, windshield heat, alcohol system and right bleed circuit breakers were popped. There was fire damage to the windshield heat shutoff valve, left and right mixing valve control boxes and associated wiring, landing light/taxi light/auxiliary hydraulic pump relay box, upper side of the flow control valve and the windshield heat shutoff valve and wiring, as well as the low-pressure air-conditioning line from the compressor outlet to the aft cabin evaporator. No one was injured.