Gates Lear Jet 35 accident near Pueblo, Colorado, February 3, 2012
On February 3, 2012 at about 2:12 am local time, a Gates Lear Jet 35, registered N31WS, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Pueblo, Colorado (Pueblo airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The captain's failure to maintain airplane control during an attempted crosswind takeoff on a contaminated runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 3, 2012 · about 2:12 am local time
- Place
- Pueblo, Colorado · Pueblo · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Gates Lear Jet 35 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N31WS · no longer on the register · serial 027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilots were departing on a contaminated runway with a left crosswind at night in a snowstorm. According to global positioning system data, when the airplane reached a ground speed of 120 knots on the takeoff roll, it veered to the right. The captain was unable to maintain directional control, and the airplane veered off the right side of the runway. The airplane continued across several taxiways, and the main landing gear assemblies and the right wing tip fuel tank separated from the airframe, then the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest on a grassy area. All eight passengers and both pilots exited the airplane through the main cabin door. Postaccident examination revealed that damage to the right main landing gear torque link and both tires was consistent with the runway excursion. The cockpit voice recorder was not working properly, and audio from the accident flight was not recorded. Data downloaded from the digital electronic engine controls indicated that both engines were operating with no significant difference in thrust. An examination of the airplane's flight controls revealed no preimpact mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Snow/slush/ice covered › Not specified
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: 15,584 hours in all; 1,929 in this make and model; 79 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 14,377 as pilot in command; 450 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 20, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,198 hours in all; 1,063 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 794 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 10, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,748 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 23, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 18,300 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Garrett TFE 731 SER (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Garrett TFE 731 SER (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Extrapoint LLC
The flight
- Departed from: PUB Pueblo CO at 1:12 am
- Destination: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 08L, 10,498 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 360° at 15 knots
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from PUB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 8 |
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 CEN12FA151.