- Date
- October 14, 1994, 15:25 local (19:25 UTC)
- Place
- Holland, MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N20TALearjet 23
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 10, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941014038049A
- Case key
- 9777
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The copilot's misjudgment of the touchdown point, and the pilot in command's inadequate supervision to avoid the accident.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The operator reported that the copilot was flying the airplane. Following what was described as a normal approach, the airplane landed short of the runway with a 10-15 deg right yaw. The crew reportedly heard a cracking sound, and the airplane veered to the left. The captain took control of the airplane and aborted the landing. A subsequent fly-by disclosed that the left main landing gear was damaged, and the left wingtip fuel tank was leaking. The crew returned to their home airport for repairs, and during landing the left main landing gear collapsed.
Factual narrative
On October 14, 1994, about 1525 eastern daylight time, a Lear 23 airplane, N20TA, registered to Kalitta Flying Service, dba American International Services, sustained substantial damage when it landed short of the runway threshold at the Tulip City Airport, Holland, Michigan. Neither of the two airline transport certificated pilots aboard were injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight departed the Willow Run Airport, Ypsilanti, Michigan, about 1450, and operated in visual meteorological conditions.
The Operator reported that the flight crew departed Ypsilanti for Holland to pickup cargo at Holland and return to Ypsilanti. The copilot was flying the airplane. The flight crew was attempting to land "on the numbers" on runway 08 (5,000'x100'). On touchdown, the crew heard a cracking sound, and the airplane veered to the left. The captain took control, applied power and took off. A subsequent fly-by of ground personnel at Tulip City disclosed what appeared to be a leaking left tip fuel tank, and a damaged left main landing gear. The crew elected to return to their home base at Ypsilanti for repairs. During the landing roll at the Willow Run Airport, Ypsilanti, the airplane's left main landing gear collapsed.
According to the written report filed by the Operator, an examination of the accident site at Tulip City revealed that the airplane landed short of the runway threshold with approximately 10-15 degrees of right yaw.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N20TA
- Reported as
- Learjet 23
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 23-062
- Airframe hours
- 12,993
- Engine
- GE CJ-610-4, 2,850 lbs thrust, turbo jet
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kalitta Flying Services, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · September 9, 1994 · 155 hours before
- Departed
- YIP · Ypsilanti, MI
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- C19 · Tulip City, runway 8, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 27
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,482 total · 2,410 in this make and model · 3,353 as pilot in command · 265 in the last 90 days · 125 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.