Gates Learjet 35 accident near Chicago, Illinois, January 29, 1999
On January 29, 1999 at about 5:18 am local time, a Gates Learjet 35, registered N130F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chicago, Illinois (Chicago Midway 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 second pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall mush.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 29, 1999 · about 5:18 am local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · Chicago Midway Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Gates Learjet 35 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N130F · no longer on the register · serial 35-044
- 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 second pilot turned onto a 4 mile final from the end of the runway. The second pilot said at one mile from the end of the runway, the airplane was stabilized on the glide slope and localizer inbound course, at a landing approach speed of 122 knots. Crossing the runway threshold, the pilot-in-command called out to the second pilot, 'Ref (landing approach speed), three green, cleared to land.' Approximately 3 feet above the runway surface, the pilot-in- command called out 'Ref minus 10 [knots indicated airspeed]. As he spoke, the pilot-in- command said he felt a slight increase in sink [rate], followed immediately by a violent roll to the right. The right tip tank struck the runway surface. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,100 hours in all; 6,379 in this make and model; 170 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 3,887 as pilot in command; 578 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,956 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, December 22, 1998; 118 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 18,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TFE731 (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CMH Columbus OH at 4:29 am
- Destination: MDW
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 4R, 6,446 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 040° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:18 am from MDW, 1 miles away
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.