# NTSB NYC83FA249: Gates Learjet 35A, N780A, Massena, NY, September 20, 1983

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: September 20, 1983, 08:00 local (12:00 UTC)
- Place: Massena, NY
- Coordinates: 44.919532, -74.890472 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.9195&lon=-74.8905&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 8 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 35082
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC83FA249
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/35082/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC83FA249

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Overrun, landing - roll
  - airspeed - misjudged, pilot in command (cause)
  - distance - misjudged, pilot in command (cause)
  - aborted landing - not performed, pilot in command (cause)
  - go-around - not selected, pilot in command (cause)
- Nose gear collapsed, landing - roll
  - landing gear,nose gear - overload

## Analysis

PASSENGERS DESCRIBED TOUCHDOWN AS FAST & LONG WITH NO ENG NOISE ASSOCIATED WITH REVERSE THRUST IMMEDIATELY AFTER TOUCHDOWN. THE ACFT RAN OFF THE END OF THE RWY & THE NOSE GEAR SEPARATED. ACCORDING TO THE CREW THE PLT INITIATED THE THRUST REVERSERS AFTER TOUCHDOWN, HOWEVER, THE PINS DID NOT REMOVE & THE THRUST LEVERS WERE RESTORED. AS BRAKING WAS EMPLOYED, THE THRUST REVERSERS WERE RE-INITIATED. THE PINS REMOVED & FULL REVERSE WAS APPLIED. BY THIS TIME THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RWY REMAINING TO INITIATE A GO-AROUND. THE SQUAT SWITCH RELAY PANEL PREVENTS OPERATION OF THE THRUST REVERSER SYSTEM UNTIL THE SQUAT SWITCHES ARE IN THE GROUND MODE. THE GROUND SPOILERS WERE NOT DEPLOYED.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N780A (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: GATES LEARJET 35A
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 35A-302
- Airframe hours: 2025
- Engines: GARRETT TFE-731-2-2B 3500 lbs thrust turbo jet
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Executive/Corporate, Part 91
- Registered owner: Aluminum Company Of America
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: AGC, WEST MIFFLIN, PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: MSS, Richards Field, runway 5, 5,001 × 120 ft, macadam

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 53; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 7,365 total, 890 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: MSS

## 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 19830920050239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830920050239A), Sep 20, 1983: Lear 35A, Massena, NY, Substantial damage. Landed long and downwind. Deployed thrust reversers too late. Overran runway. Rough ground severed nose gear.

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.