Learjet 25 accident near Roanoke, Virginia, March 24, 1989
On March 24, 1989 at about 1:15 am local time, a Learjet 25, registered N29FN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Roanoke, Virginia (Roanoke Reg. airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
CO-PILOTS POORLY PLANNED APPROACH WHICH RESULTED IN AN OVERRUN LANDING. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE CAPTAINS POOR SUPERVISION OF THE APPROACH AND LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 24, 1989 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Roanoke, Virginia · Roanoke Reg. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Learjet 25 · all 25s on the register
- Registration
- N29FN · no longer on the register · serial 25-018
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT OVERRAN THE END OF RWY 06 (6800 FT LONG) FOLLOWING AN LDA APCH. IT CONTACTED A DIRT BERM AT THE END OF THE GRASS OVERRUN AND CATAPULTED INTO THE AIR. THE CAPT HAD ADVANCED THE POWER LEVERS TO FULL PWR FOR GO-AROUND AFTER THEY SEEMED TO GET NO SPOILERS AND THRUST REVERSAL. BOTH CREWMEMBERS STATED THAT THE CO-PLT MADE THE INITIAL LANDING. THE ACFT GAINED FLYING SPEED AS THE TERRAIN DROPPED OFF. THE ACFT WAS CLIMBED TO 6000 FT TO ACCESS DAMAGE AND TWO TWR FLY-BYS WERE MADE TO CK THE LANDING GEAR. THE TWR REPORTED NO GEAR IN SIGHT. A DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND ON RWY 33 FOR THE BEST OVERRUN. THE ACFT WAS LANDED WITHOUT LNDG GEAR AND SLID THE LENGTH OF THE RWY AND CONTINUED 200 FT OFF THE DEPARTURE END ON THE GRASS. ANOTHER PLT WITNESS STATED THAT N29FN HAD BEEN LANDED 'FAST AND HIGH'. POST ACC EXAM AND TESTING OF THE ACFT PRODUCED NO MALFUNCTIONS OF THE SYSTEMS.THE LNDG GEAR WAS FOUND TO HAVE BEEN SEPARATED DURING THE FIRST LANDING WHEN THE ACFT CATAPULTED OFF THE DIRT BERM.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,765 hours in all; 1,184 in this make and model; 166 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 2,770 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,878 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 19, 1989; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 15,000 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CJ-610-6 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight International, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PHF Newport News VA at 11:45 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 6, 6,800 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 050° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; scat at 800 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:22 am from ROA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.