Learjet 35A accident near West Paterson, New Jersey, May 24, 1988
On May 24, 1988 at about 7:16 am local time, a Learjet 35A, registered N500RW, was destroyed in an accident near West Paterson, New Jersey (Teterboro airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 1988 · about 7:16 am local time
- Place
- West Paterson, New Jersey · Teterboro
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Learjet 35A · all 35As on the register
- Registration
- N500RW · registry record · serial 35A
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES RPTED A NORMAL TAKEOFF. RADAR INDICATED THE ACFT TURNED RIGHT AS CLEARED AND BEGAN CRUISE AT 1900 FT, HDG NW AT 235 KTS. 65 SECS AFTER CALLING CLEAR OF THE CONTROL ZONE THE ACFT'S RADAR TRACK ENDED. THE ACFT WAS FRAGMENTED BY THEIMPACT WITH ALL FLT CONTROL SURFACES AND ACFT EXTREMITIES FOUND AT THE IMPACT SITE. PITCH TRIM WAS FOUND IN THE NORMAL CRUISE SETTING WITH GEAR, FLAPS, AND SPOILERS IN THE RETRACTED POSITION. EXAM OF THE ENGS INDICATED OPERATION AT IMPACT.ACFT STRUCK THE TERRAIN IN APPROX 80 DEG NOSE DOWN, WNGS LEVEL ATTITUDE & HEADING OPPOSITE TO THE PREVIOUS DIRECTION OF FLT. IN FLIGHT SIMULATOR TESTS, WITH THE ACFT INITIALLY IN LEVEL FLT AT 1900 FEET AND THEN ROLLED INVERTED AND THE PITCHCONTROL MOVED AFT, THE ACFT ATTITUDE WAS SIMILAR TO THE ATTITUDE AT IMPACT. THERE WERE TWO UNAUTH PAX ON BOARD, ONE WAS THE COPILOT'S WIFE. THE IMPACT POINT WAS IN A VERY SMALL REGION OF UNCONTROLLED AIRSPACE VERY NEAR THE COPILOT'S AND RELATIVE'S HOMES. THE COPILOT WAS NEW TO JET OPERATIONS. THE ACFT DEPARTED WITH SEVERAL DISCREPANCIES UNCLEARED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,910 hours in all; 759 in this make and model; 114 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 8,047 as pilot in command; 2,380 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,735 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 25, 1988; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 17,000 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TFE-731-2-2B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: United Executive Jet, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: TEB Teterboro NJ at 7:12 am
- Destination: MMU Morristown NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 220° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 am from TEB, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.