Learjet 35 accident near Teterboro, New Jersey, March 18, 1993
On March 18, 1993, a Learjet 35, registered N304AF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Teterboro, New Jersey (Teterboro airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING OR DECISION BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE RUNWAY/TERRAIN CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 1993
- Place
- Teterboro, New Jersey · Teterboro
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Learjet 35 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N304AF · registry record · serial 35-013
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR AN ILS RUNWAY 6 APPROACH AND REPORTED THAT HE HAD THE RUNWAY IN SIGHT ABOVE THE DECISION HEIGHT. SNOW WAS FALLING. AFTER A 'SUCCESSFUL' APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN THE 'TOUCHDOWN ZONE.' SPOILERS, THRUST REVERSERS, AND BRAKES WERE APPLIED, BUT THE AIRPLANE 'STARTED TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT.' THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A SNOWBANK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. ITS LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE FUSELAGE KEEL BEAM WAS DAMAGED. BRAKING ACTION WAS REPORTED AS 'NIL' BY THE PILOT. THE RUNWAY HAD 'TWO TO THREE INCHES' OF WET SNOW. IT WAS CLOSED AND PLOWED IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. THE TOWER CONTROLLER HAD TRANSMITTED TO THE PILOTS 'LAST BRAKING ACTION FAIR BY A WESTWIND ABOUT 20 MINUTES AGO.' THE ATIS INFORMATION INCLUDED 'APPROACH LIGHTS FOR RUNWAY 6 HAVE BEEN DECOMMISSIONED.'
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,420 hours in all; 1,330 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 9,386 as pilot in command; 1,999 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,980 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 14, 1993; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 18,300 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TFE 731-2-2B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Apache Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: MSP Minneapolis MN at 10:20 pm
- Destination: TEB
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 6, 6,013 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 330° at 14 knots
- Sky: broken clouds at 300 ft; not recorded at 300 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.