Beechjet 400
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 60; Flight Crew Total 4974; Flight Crew Type 3228
Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Weather
Cleared as filed; climb to FL230.  Step climb as instructed by ATC to FL400.  At FL400 we were on top until thunderstorm cells approximately 100 NM ahead showed on radar.  Climbed to FL430 to stay on top of cloud layer.  Deviated 20 degrees right to avoid thunderstorm cell in flight path.  Climbed to FL450 to stay on top as we deviated west around back side of thunderstorm cell.  ATC advised another aircraft topped the weather at FL450.  At FL450 we were on top and past the thunderstorm cell with another thunderstorm cell approximately 50 NM to the southwest of our position.  We started the turn back on course behind the thunderstorm cell and approximately 50 NM in front of the other thunderstorm cell.  ATC advised an MD80 experienced a 30 KT drop in airspeed at FL370.  We were at FL450 starting to go in and out of the tops of the clouds (-40 degrees C) when the stick shaker activated.  We advised ATC we could not maintain FL450 and requested lower.  Engine heats were turned on as we were descending from FL450 through FL430.  I heard a thud and we entered intense rain.  Before reaching FL400 both engines flamed out.  I asked the First Officer to change seats with a company Captain (riding in the cabin).  We performed the checklist for an air start.  It appeared we did not have rotation on the engines.  We tried a starter assisted start to no avail.  Requested vectors to nearest airport.  Broke out of clouds at approximately 8;000-6;000 MSL and landed.
When the starter assist was attempted the load of attempting to turn the frozen engine apparently killed the battery resulting in the loss of both PFD's and MFD's.   During approach with the gear down it was noted that both engines were turning again and the gear doors closed unassisted.  Landing with flaps up on the 5;400 foot runway was challenging using the emergency braking system (nitrogen bottle).  Reporter stated there have been previous reports of engine failures of this type and as a result dead stick landings are routinely practiced in the simulator.  Our incident added IMC and descent using standby attitude indicators and no hydraulics until low altitude.  Several temperature fluctuations between minus 40 and minus 30 degrees OAT were noted just prior to stick shaker.  In hind sight the thud was thought to be ice shedding from the engine and also after landing the ATC Radar track showed decreasing ground speed just prior to the stick shaker incident.
I was non-flying pilot; sitting in the rear.  We departed with no problems and we were Part 91 with no passengers.  Flight was smooth on takeoff.  About 30 minutes into the flight the ride started to get rough; then moderate turbulence.  Seated in the rear; I heard a loud thump; but I thought it was some cargo in the tail cone shifting.  After a few minutes later; I heard 2 thumps followed by the engines spooling back.  I had thought pilot flying had brought the engines to idle.  Then the Co-Captain looks back at me and motioned for me to come up front and take his seat.  About that time the turbulence went from moderate to severe.  The co-Captain struggled to get out of his seat.  Mean while the O2 masks dropped.  The Co-Captain made it to his seat and got strapped in.  I was pinned in mine for a second or two with the turbulence.  We donned our masks; and then made an attempt to get into the co-pilots seat.  Finally I got into the seat and donned O2 mask and seat belts.  Captain was already on O2 at that time.  He was talking to ATC getting vectors to the nearest airport and was visually deviating around thunderstorms.  We were descending through FL280.  I tried to do an engine restart as per checklist.  As I hit the starter; everything blacks out.  I turned off the avionics since we had the standby power for the radio.  I hit the start switch again and nothing.  I noticed that the N1 gauges were not spinning or wind milling.  We surmised that the engines were coated with ice.  So it was time to find the airport.  We were passing through the teens and then out of 10;000 FT.  The airport was approximately 10 miles away; the pilot flying lost some altitude.  We started to do an alternate gear extension procedure.  He couldn't find the C/B because we were busy with the emergency.  So we dropped the gear and it came down with 3 greens and no reds.  I put Batt and GENs to emergency.  We landed and utilized emergency braking.  The plane came to a stop about 2/3rds down the runway.  After the walk around we noticed water dripping from the engines.  Left brake was smoking; and fuse plug blew on right wheel and the right tire started to deflate.
BE40 flight crew experiences a dual engine failure at FL430 after starting a descent due to stick shaker activation while deviating around thunderstorms.  The engines are unresponsive resulting in a flaps up dead stick landing at the nearest suitable airport.