- Date
- January 24, 1994, 11:55 local (16:55 UTC)
- Place
- Key Largo, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N30HJLearjet LR-35A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 14, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940124027999I
- Case key
- 37440
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain the proper glidepath.
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 short of the runway and the right main gear was damaged upon impact. The pilot and copilot stated that the airplane crossed a tree line and sank rapidly. FAA officials on scene observed tire marks in the soft coral leading up to the runway.
Factual narrative
On January 24, 1994, about 1155, eastern standard time, N30HJ, a Lear LR-35A, operated by Hop-A-Jet as a 14 CFR Part 91 positioning flight experienced a hard landing at Key Largo, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was filed. The airplane received minor damage and the crew of two reported no injuries. The flight had originated from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, about 20 minutes earlier.
The captain stated that he was allowing his rated first officer to execute the approach to Ocean Reef Airport. As the airplane cleared the treeline on approach at Vref minus 5 knots the first officer retarded the power levers and the airplane landed short of the runway in the soft coral rock. The airplane then rolled forward and hit the 3 inch high lip damaging the right main landing gear.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N30HJ
- Reported as
- Learjet LR-35A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 226
- Airframe hours
- 10,883
- Engine
- Garrett TFE 731 2-2B, 3,500 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Hop-A-Jet
- Registered owner
- Joda Partnership
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- FLL · Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- X09 · Ocean Reef Club
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
- 24
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,450 total · 950 in this make and model · 2,050 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MIA
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.