# NTSB ERA23LA081: Learjet 35, N979RF, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, December 2, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: December 1, 2022, 21:08 local (Dec 2, 2022, 02:08 UTC) - Place: Guantanamo Bay, Cuba · On Runway 28 near approach end of runway - Coordinates: 19.906227, -75.199584 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=19.9062&lon=-75.1996&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 5 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA (Miami International Field Office) - NTSB case key (mKey): 106436 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA081 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106436/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106436 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA081 ## Probable cause The flight crew’s continuation of an unstable approach which resulted in abnormal runway contact during the landing flare and touchdown. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Flight crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Gates Learjet 35A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=5170602), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (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-flare/touchdown: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093) (defining event); cases with it: [Gates Learjet 35A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md?model=5170602), [All aircraft, 319 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight crew reported that during a civilian positioning flight to pick up a medical patient, they were cleared to land via a visual approach at night. During the base segment in the traffic pattern, the first officer, who was the pilot flying, lost sight of the runway and transferred the flight controls to the captain at an altitude of about 900 ft mean sea level. The first officer stated that after the exchange of the flight controls, the “aircraft was on short final and passed over the threshold at an angle.” Subsequently, during the captain’s landing flare and touchdown, the stick shaker activated, and the left wing dropped and impacted the runway. The captain completed the landing roll, stopped the airplane on the runway, and all of the occupants exited without incident. The impact with the runway resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The flight crew did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N979RF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N979RF), registered now, S/N 376, built 1981 (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: 376 - Year built: 1981 - Airframe hours: 16719 - Engines: GARRETT TFE 731-2C-2B 3500 lbs thrust turbo fan; GARRETT TFE 731-2C-2B 3500 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: REVA, Inc. - Registered owner: Jedami Air LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: AAIP, November 3, 2022, 46 hours before - Departed: FXE, Fort Lauderdale, FL - Destination: Same as departure - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: MUGM, Guantanamo Bay Naval Air Station, runway 28, 8,000 × 200 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Data recorder, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; foreign, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 1, 2022; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 9,732 total, 210 in this make and model, 8,753 as pilot in command, 151 in the last 90 days, 54 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 38; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 16, 2022; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,458 total, 146 in this make and model, 1,141 as pilot in command, 66 in the last 90 days, 54 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 350° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 8,000 ft broken - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.03 inHg - Observed at: MUGM, 3 nm away - METAR: MUGM 020151Z 35010KT 10SM SCT065 BKN080 26/22 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP169 T02560217 $ ## Other investigations on N979RF (1) 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. - [NTSB ERA14LA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA111), Feb 3, 2014: Gates Learjet 35A (N979RF), Ft. Lauderdale, FL, no damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to ensure that the ground power unit was disconnected from the airplane via hand signals from the lineman providing ground services before taxiing, which resulted in an injury to… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 7, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106436. 3.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15137023&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120.1%20Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record (flight crew statements) (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 155 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15137514&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memo%20for%20Record%20(Flight%20Crew%20Statements)-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 3 photos, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15137695&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20-%20ERA23LA081-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.