Lear LR36 flight crew has self induced unusual attitude during maneuvers.

Attributes
ACN	718906
Time
Date	200612
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : san.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Learjet 36
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 2080 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	718906
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While attempting to join the other aircraft in the flight; the PF (the captain) lost sight of the other aircraft in the sun and rolled the aircraft into an extreme angle of bank. The PF did not immediately correct and then the nose pitched down. Airspeed built rapidly. I asked the captain what he was doing and he immediately began the unusual attitude recovery. A smooth; low G recovery was accomplished and the aircraft brought back to level flight. I asked the captain if the aircraft was controllable and the captain went through controllability checks to include slow flight and lowering the gear. After determining it was controllable; the flight was continued. A normal approach and full flap landing were made. During postflt inspection; it was discovered that the right elevator had separated from the aircraft. Better communication between the crew members would have helped to more rapidly identify that the PF was spatially disoriented and possibly caused me to take action sooner before a dangerous situation developed. Greater assertiveness on my part would also have helped prevent the upset from occurring. The aircraft should have been immediately landed at the nearest airport; regardless of the crew's opinion of the airworthiness of the aircraft after the upset.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LEAR LR36 FLT CREW HAS SELF INDUCED UNUSUAL ATTITUDE DURING MANEUVERS.

Narrative: WHILE ATTEMPTING TO JOIN THE OTHER ACFT IN THE FLT; THE PF (THE CAPT) LOST SIGHT OF THE OTHER ACFT IN THE SUN AND ROLLED THE ACFT INTO AN EXTREME ANGLE OF BANK. THE PF DID NOT IMMEDIATELY CORRECT AND THEN THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN. AIRSPD BUILT RAPIDLY. I ASKED THE CAPT WHAT HE WAS DOING AND HE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN THE UNUSUAL ATTITUDE RECOVERY. A SMOOTH; LOW G RECOVERY WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND THE ACFT BROUGHT BACK TO LEVEL FLT. I ASKED THE CAPT IF THE ACFT WAS CONTROLLABLE AND THE CAPT WENT THROUGH CONTROLLABILITY CHKS TO INCLUDE SLOW FLT AND LOWERING THE GEAR. AFTER DETERMINING IT WAS CONTROLLABLE; THE FLT WAS CONTINUED. A NORMAL APCH AND FULL FLAP LNDG WERE MADE. DURING POSTFLT INSPECTION; IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE R ELEVATOR HAD SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT. BETTER COM BTWN THE CREW MEMBERS WOULD HAVE HELPED TO MORE RAPIDLY IDENT THAT THE PF WAS SPATIALLY DISORIENTED AND POSSIBLY CAUSED ME TO TAKE ACTION SOONER BEFORE A DANGEROUS SITUATION DEVELOPED. GREATER ASSERTIVENESS ON MY PART WOULD ALSO HAVE HELPED PREVENT THE UPSET FROM OCCURRING. THE ACFT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IMMEDIATELY LANDED AT THE NEAREST ARPT; REGARDLESS OF THE CREW'S OPINION OF THE AIRWORTHINESS OF THE ACFT AFTER THE UPSET.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.