Learjet 55 accident near Jeffersonville, Indiana, February 19, 2021
On February 19, 2021, a 1990 Learjet 55, registered N559RA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Jeffersonville, Indiana (Clark Rgnl airport). It was a positioning flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight crew’s failure to verify the correct runway for landing, which resulted in a landing on a snow contaminated runway and resulting damage to the airplane. The illumination of the lights associated with the closed runway contributed to the accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 2021
- Place
- Jeffersonville, Indiana · Clark Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Learjet 55 C, built 1990 · all 55s on the register
- Registration
- N559RA · no longer on the register · serial 146
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Both pilots reported that, as they approached the airport, they saw runway lights and set up for a visual approach to that runway. They believed the runway they saw was runway 36, but it was in fact runway 32, which had been closed due to snow. A notice to airman had been published to that effect. In addition, the airport’s automated weather observing system recording was appended with the runway closure information. The pilots continued the approach and landed on runway 32. The airplane struck a snow berm at the edge of the intersection with runway 36, the landing gear broke from the airplane, and the airplane slid to a stop. The lower fuselage, wings and ventral strakes sustained substantial damage. Runway 32 was closed due to a large amount of snow that was in the process of being cleared. About 4 inches of snow remained. The runway lights were on at the time of the accident to aid the snowplow operators in determining the location of the runway edge; however, there were no plows on runway 32 at the time of the accident. The lights for runway 36 may not have been visible due to the snow berms along the runway edge obstructing their view from the side. Based on the available information, the flight crew inadvertently selected the wrong runway for landing and did not identify the error because they failed to compare the intended runway heading with the final approach course. Contributing to the accident was the fact that the runway 32 lights were left on.
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
- Wrong surface or wrong airport during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Flight crew
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Snow/slush/ice covered surface › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › Runway lighting › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,800 hours in all; 3,696 in this make and model; 124 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 26, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,925 hours in all; 1,136 in this make and model; 121 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 430 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 9, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,266 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 6, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 21,500 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Honeywell TFE-731 (turbofan); 17,602 hours total
- Engine 2: Honeywell TFE-731 (turbofan); 9,652 hours total
- Operator: Royal Air Freight INC
The flight
- Departed from: RSW Fort Myers FL at 10:08 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14/3, 3,899 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 330° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 7:26 pm from KLOU, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KLOU 190026Z 33003KT 10SM BKN024 OVC040 M01/M07 A3026 RMK AO2 T10111072
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on August 26, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | First Officer Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Record of Conversation (Airport Manager) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Runway Closure NOTAM | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | E-mail from Operator | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.