Gates Learjet 25B accident near Pittsburgh, PA
On November 22, 2001, a Gates Learjet 25B (airplane) was involved in an accident near Pittsburgh, PA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- November 22, 2001
- Place
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Aircraft
- Gates Learjet 25B · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 40.510°N, 80.160°W
- NTSB ID
- 20011202X02328
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 22, 2001, at 1305 eastern daylight time, a Gates Learjet 25B, N5UJ, operated by Universal Jet Aviation, Inc., Boca Raton, Florida, was destroyed when it veered off runway 28 Left (28L) during an attempted takeoff at Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The certificated airline transport pilot and the certificated commercial pilot were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for a flight to Boca Raton Airport (BCT), Boca Raton, Florida. The positioning flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the president of Universal Jet Aviation, the pilots dropped off passengers at a general aviation fixed base operator (FBO) the previous evening and spent the night in Pittsburgh. On the morning of the accident, the pilots were anticipating a revenue flight to Washington, D.C., but the flight was cancelled, and they planned to return to their home base. A witness to the accident, an employee of the fixed base operator, wrote: "On Nov 22, 2001, a Lear 25 (N5UJ) taxied out from the FBO full of fuel. When an old airplane, especially an old Lear, takes off, I make sure I get to see it. I like to hear the noisy engines and watch them rocket out of the airport. On this morning, I stood on the airstairs of a chartered 737 on the ramp of the FBO. As the plane began its takeoff roll, I noticed for an empty Lear 25; it was sure using lots of runway. The nose then came up off the ground but it seemed too early and way too slow. The airplane struggl
Probable cause
The (undetermined) pilot-at-the-controls' early, and over rotation of the airplane's nose during the takeoff attempt, and his failure to maintain directional control. Also causal, was the captain's inadequate remedial action, both during the takeoff attempt and after the airplane departed the runway.
More accidents in PA
- Boeing B-737-300, Sep 8, 1994
- Boeing 757, Sep 11, 2001
- British Aerospace J-3101, May 21, 2000
- Bell UH-1N, May 29, 2008
- Beech A36, Jul 30, 1989
Browse: Pennsylvania · Gates Learjet aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
