- Date
- February 14, 2001, 04:45 local (09:45 UTC)
- Place
- Punta Gorda, FL
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N394JPLearjet 35A
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20010214004509A
- Case key
- 51731
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 pilot misjudged the flare resulting in a hard landing, and impact with the runway. A factor in the accident was reduced visibility because of ground fog.
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 airplane landed hard on runway 03, blew out the left main landing gear tires and traveled about 4,100 feet down the runway before coming to a stop. According to the pilot he radioed ATC that he had the airport and runway in sight. At 800 feet he lost sight of the runway because of "light fog." He performed a missed approach and stayed in the pattern VFR. On the second approach he was distracted by the fog, but said he did not lose sight of the runway. He said that the co-pilot advised him to go around again but he landed. He said the landing was hard, but did not realize he had a problem until the airplane started pulling to the left. When the airplane came to a stop he got everyone out because of a fuel leak. The 30-minute CVR recording was found to have no data that could contribute to determining the probable cause, and no transcript was prepared. The reported visibility at the time of the accident was 0.25 sm mile with fog. The pilot called the Saint Petersburg flight service station about 2 hours after the accident to report same.
Factual narrative
On February 14, 2001, about 0445 eastern standard time, a Learjet 35A, N394JP, owned by Plane 1 Leasing Co. Inc., landed hard at the Charlotte County Airport, Punta Gorda, Florida. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. An IFR flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 medical flight. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airline transport-rated pilot, commercial-rated co-pilot, and three passengers reported no injuries. The flight had departed from Miami International Airport, Florida, about 0430.
The airplane landed hard on runway 03, blew out the left main landing gear tires and traveled about 4,100 feet down the runway before coming to a stop. According to the pilot he radioed ATC that he had the airport and runway in sight. He followed the VOR radial and made an approach. At 800 feet he lost sight of the runway because of "light fog." He performed a missed approach and stayed in the pattern VFR. He performed a second approach visually and said he was distracted by the fog, but did not lose sight of the runway. He said the landing was hard, but did not realize he had a problem until the airplane started pulling to the left. When the airplane came to a stop he got everyone out because of a fuel leak.
The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Division for examination. The 30-minute recording was found to have no data that could contribute to determining the probable cause, and no transcript was prepared.
The reported visibility at the time of the accident was 0.25 sm mile with fog. The pilot called the Saint Petersburg flight service station about 2 hours after the accident to report same.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N394JP
- Reported as
- Learjet 35A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 491
- Airframe hours
- 7,517
- Engine
- Garrett TFE 731-2-2B, 3,500 lbs thrust, turbo jet
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Pervez Khan
- Registered owner
- Plane 1 Leasing Co. Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · November 30, 2000 · 120 hours before
- Departed
- MIA · Miami, FL
- Destination
- PGD · Punta Gorda, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- PGD · Charlotte County, runway 03, 6,580 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- August 3, 2000
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 14,550 total · 700 in this make and model · 14,000 as pilot in command · 380 in the last 90 days · 45 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Injuries
- None
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- 40° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 0.25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.22 inHg
- Observed at
- PGD
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.