Learjet LR60 accident near Columbia, South Carolina, September 20, 2008
On September 20, 2008 at about 3:53 am local time, a Learjet LR60, registered N999LJ, was destroyed in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Columbia, South Carolina (Columbia Metropolitan airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 4 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The operator’s inadequate maintenance of the airplane’s tires, which resulted in multiple tire failures during takeoff roll due to severe underinflation, and the captain’s execution of a rejected takeoff (RTO) after V1, which was inconsistent with her training and standard operating procedures. Contributing to the accident were (1) deficiencies in Learjet’s design of and the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) certification of the Learjet Model 60’s thrust reverser system, which permitted the failure of critical systems in the wheel well area to result in uncommanded forward thrust that increased the severity of the accident; (2) the inadequacy of Learjet’s safety analysis and the FAA’s review of it, which failed to detect and correct the thrust reverser and wheel well design deficiencies after a 2001 uncommanded forward thrust accident; (3) inadequate industry training standards for flight crews in tire failure scenarios; and (4) the flight crew’s poor crew resource management (CRM).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 2008 · about 3:53 am local time
- Place
- Columbia, South Carolina · Columbia Metropolitan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Learjet LR60
- Registration
- N999LJ · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The NTSB’s full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/publictn.htm. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-10/02. On September 19, 2008, about 2353 eastern daylight time, a Bombardier Learjet Model 60, N999LJ, owned by Inter Travel and Services, Inc., and operated by Global Exec Aviation, overran runway 11 during a rejected takeoff at Columbia Metropolitan Airport, Columbia, South Carolina. The captain, the first officer, and two passengers were killed; two other passengers were seriously injured. The nonscheduled domestic passenger flight to Van Nuys, California, was operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
- Fire/smoke (post-impact) during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Tire casing › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Tire casing › Failure
- cause Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Oversight › Oversight of maintenance › Operator
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › Pilot
- factor Organizational issues › Development › Design › Equipment design › Manufacturer
- factor Organizational issues › Development › Selection/certification/testing › Equip certification/testing › FAA/Regulator
- factor Organizational issues › Development › Selection/certification/testing › Equip certification/testing › Operator
- factor Organizational issues › Development › Selection/certification/testing › Personnel selection/training › Not specified
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › CRM/MRM techniques › Flight crew
- factor Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Oversight › Equipment monitoring › Manufacturer
- factor Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Oversight › Equipment monitoring › FAA/Regulator
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine exhaust › Thrust reverser › Design
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Powerplant parameters › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 108 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 23,500 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney Canada PW305A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney Canada PW305A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Global Exec Avaition
The flight
- Departed from: KCAE Columbia SC at 3:53 am
- Destination: KVNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 11, 8,601 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 060° at 7 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 am from CAE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.