Learjet 23 accident near Madison, Wisconsin, August 13, 1985
On August 13, 1985 at about 6:15 am local time, a Learjet 23, registered N61TS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Madison, Wisconsin (Dane County Regional airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 1985 · about 6:15 am local time
- Place
- Madison, Wisconsin · Dane County Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Learjet 23 · all 23s on the register
- Registration
- N61TS · no longer on the register · serial 23-029
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ELECTED TO TAKE OFF WITH A HEAVY LOADED ACFT ON THE SHORT RWY. THE PLT STATED A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD AS THE ACFT APPROACHED 80 KTS. THE TAKEOFF WAS ABORTED AT 100 KTS. HYDROPLANING WAS EXPERIENCED AND A LOSS OF CONTROL OCCURRED. THE ACFT TRAVELED OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY WERE THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. THE ACFT CAME TO REST WITH THE NOSE IN A WATER FILLED DITCH.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,200 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 6,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,227 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 12, 1985; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CJ-610-4 (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: IND Indianapolis IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31, 5,846 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,700 ft; not recorded at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 am from MSN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.