Learjet 24 accident near Anderson, South Carolina, March 16, 1990
On March 16, 1990 at about 2:45 am local time, a Learjet 24, registered N100VQ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anderson, South Carolina (Anderson County airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
ELECTRICAL ARCING WHICH RESULTED FROM A SHORT IN THE PILOT'S MAP LIGHT CIRCUIT; A CHAFTED WIRE CONTACTED THE OXYGEN SUPPLY LINE AT THE OXYGEN CONTROL PANEL IN THE COCKPIT. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE DESIGN OF THE OXYGEN PANEL PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL WIRING FOR THE PILOT'S MAP LIGHT WHICH ALLOWED CONTACT BETWEEN THE TWO SYSTEMS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 1990 · about 2:45 am local time
- Place
- Anderson, South Carolina · Anderson County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Learjet 24 · all 24s on the register
- Registration
- N100VQ · registry record · serial 140
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING AT 42,000 FEET, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ADUST HIS MAP LIGHT WHEN THE CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED. WHEN THE COPILOT RESET THE BREAKER A FIRE IGNITED AT THE OXYGEN PANEL. THE BLOWTORCH EFFECT CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE LEFT INTERIOR AT THE PILOT'S STATION. TWO PASSENGERS WERE HOSPITALIZED FOR SMOKE INHALATION. EXAMINATION OF THE DAMAGED AREA DISCLOSED THAT A WIRE FROM THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY ARCED AND CONTACTED AN OXYGEN SUPPLY LINE. FURTHER EXAMINATION ALSO DISCLOSED LOOSE OXYGEN LINES ADJACENT TO THE ARCING. SUBSEQUENT TO THE MISHAP, LEARJET DEVELOPED A PROTECTION KIT TO PREVENT CONTACT BETWEEN THE OXYGEN LINES AND ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,300 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 2,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,014 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, November 2, 1989; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 13,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CJ610-4 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OSU Columbus OH at 1:51 am
- Destination: TPA Tampa FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:50 am from AND
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL90LA080.