Citation Excel (C560XL)
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 110; Flight Crew Total 3500; Flight Crew Type 195
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Aircraft
We came into close contact with terrain during a visual approach to runway 23 in LBE. At night approximately 8 nm southeast of LBE we were cleared for the visual into runway 23 at 4;500 ft. MSL. I was the pilot flying and began a descent to 2;700 ft. (the pattern altitude) and turned right to enter the downwind. As we approached 3;000 ft.; the first officer noticed terrain started to obscure the city lights on the horizon. I leveled off and began a turn for the base leg. On the base leg we passed the terrain and continued the descent to the pattern altitude and then to intercept the glideslope on a 4 nm final. There was no EGPWS warning and now low altitude warning from the tower.During the taxi to the FBO; the tower asked us for our N-number. I thought that was strange request and thought that we might have triggered a low altitude warning even though they didn't say anything to us.While the approach plate does not indicate high terrain along our approach (only the antennas at 2;953 ft. and 8 nm final); the sectional chart does show a ridgeline over our base leg. Based on our flight path over the sectional chart; I believe we were within 200 feet of the terrain.While we did review and brief the ILS approach plate; we did not review the sectional chart which would have shown the ridgeline not depicted on the approach plate.
CE-560XL Captain reported coming within 200 feet of terrain on a night visual approach to LBE without receiving a warning from the EGPWS.