Learjet 25B accident near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, December 20, 2004
On December 20, 2004 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Learjet 25B, registered N252BK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Eastern Iowa Airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot was not able to maintain directional control of the airplane due to the failure of the nose gear strut seal which prevented the nose wheel from centering. A factor associated with the accident was the berm that the airplane contacted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 20, 2004 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa · Eastern Iowa Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Learjet 25B · all 25Bs on the register
- Registration
- N252BK · no longer on the register · serial 107
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with a berm following a loss of directional control while landing. The airplane was on a 14 CFR Part 91 positioning flight at the time of the accident. The pilots reported that they encountered what they thought were rough spots on the runway during the takeoff roll. The captain reported that after takeoff, he called for the co-pilot to raise the gear and engage the yaw damper. The crew then noticed an unsafe gear indication for the nose gear. The captain stated they leveled off at 5,000 feet and decreased the airspeed so they could recycled the landing gear. Cycling the landing gear did not resolve the problem. The crew then requested to return to the departure airport for landing. The landing gear was extended and a gear down and locked indication for all three landing gear was observed. The captain stated that on touchdown, the co-pilot extended the spoilers and armed the thrust reversers. He stated that after the nose wheel touched down the airplane made a sharp left turn and traveled off the side of the runway through the grass. The airplane contacted a four-foot high berm prior to coming to a stop on another runway. The captain stated he attempted to taxi the airplane only to discover that they did not have any nose wheel steering. Post accident inspection revealed the seal on the nose gear strut had failed which prevented the nose gear from centering.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,225 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 91 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 5,233 as pilot in command; 476 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,107 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 940 as pilot in command; 692 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,970 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 19, 2004; 186 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 15,500 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: General Electric CJ610-6 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Goldstar International, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: CID Cedar Rapids IA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: MFE Mcallen TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 6,200 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 14 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.54 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from CID
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 |
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.