# NTSB ERA19LA073: Learjet 35, N55FN, Key West, FL, December 15, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: December 15, 2018, 09:33 local (14:33 UTC) - Place: Key West, FL - Coordinates: 24.55611, -81.753608 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=24.5561&lon=-81.7536&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Windshear or thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 98796 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA19LA073 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98796/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98796 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19LA073 ## Probable cause The flight crew’s encounter with windshear during the landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Wind: windshear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Gates Learjet 35A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034020/cases.md?model=5170602), [All aircraft, 90 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034020/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Gates Learjet 35A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=5170602), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Windshear or thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390) (defining event); cases with it: [Gates Learjet 35A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md?model=5170602), [All aircraft, 224 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Gates Learjet 35A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=5170602), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight crew conducted an instrument approach to their destination airport that terminated in a missed approach. Air traffic control provided radar vectors for a second approach, and during that time, the wind shifted due to the passage of a cold front and favored the opposite direction runway. The subsequent approach was uneventful; however, during the landing flare, the airplane touched down hard and was substantially damaged. Review of a weather sounding taken shortly before the accident revealed the potential for low-level windshear activity between the surface and 1,000 feet. Given this information, it is most likely that the flight crew encountered windshear during the landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Factual narrative On December 15, 2018, about 0933 eastern standard time, a Learjet 35A, N55FN, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident during landing at Key West International Airport (EYW), Key West, Florida. The flight was operated by Medway Air Ambulance as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight. According to the operator, the first officer flew the initial approach to runway 9 at EYW. The crew visually acquired the runway but were not in a position to land the airplane and performed a missed approach. During the missed approach, they encountered turbulence, and the captain took the flight controls. While being radar-vectored for the second approach, air traffic control advised the crew that the wind had shifted and was favoring runway 27. The subsequent approach to runway 27 was uneventful. During the landing flare, the crew were unable to arrest the airplane’s descent, and the airplane landed hard. After taxiing to the ramp, they realized that the airplane was damaged during the landing. According to pictures provided by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left engine pylon, left wing, and main landing gear. According to available weather information, a cold front moved across EYW around the time of the accident, followed by a second cold front that was approaching the area. The EYW upper air sounding, launched at 0700, indicated a surface wind from 220º at 6 knots with little directional variation with height and with wind speed increasing with height. At 1,000 ft a low-level wind maximum was identified from 210º at 18 knots, which resulted in a slight risk or "light" low-level wind shear condition below this level and potential surface wind gusts. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N55FN](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N55FN-2020-02-28), registration cancelled 2020-02-28, S/N 202, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Learjet 35 (A) - Registry model: [Gates Learjet 35A](https://openairdocs.org/model/gates-learjet-35a) (registry code 5170602) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Garrett TFE731 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/garrett-tfe731-series) (registry code 29001, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 202 - Year built: 1978 - Airframe hours: 22533 - Engines: Honeywell TFE731-2-2B 3500 lbs thrust turbo fan; Honeywell TFE731-2-2B 3500 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: Medway Air Ambulance - Registered owner: Med Air Llc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, July 12, 2018 - Departed: LZU, Lawrenceville, GA - Destination: EYW, Key West, FL - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: EYW, Key West Intl, runway 27, 4,801 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 24; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 21, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,950 total, 1,150 in this make and model, 997 as pilot in command, 145 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 41; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 11, 2018; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,634 total, 320 in this make and model, 1,255 as pilot in command, 129 in the last 90 days, 38 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 330° at 13 knots, gusting 19 - Lowest ceiling: 600 ft broken - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.09 inHg - Observed at: EYW ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20181215022249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20181215022249A), Dec 15, 2018: Gates Learjet Corp. 35A, Key West, FL, Substantial damage. Part 135 operator medway air ambulance (certificate no.: Y6WA394L) operating 1978 Learjet 35A, N55FN, serial number 202 landing at Key West international… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 23, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98796. 5.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9773989&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20REPORT_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Operator statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 114 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9799488&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N55FN%20operator%20statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Meteorology study (item 3, PDF, 26 pages, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8120508&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA19LA073%20-%20Key%20West,%20FL%20Weather%20Study-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 194 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9799479&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.