Learjet 35A accident near West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, May 12, 1987
On May 12, 1987 at about 2:57 pm local time, a Learjet 35A, registered N100EP, was destroyed in an accident near West Mifflin, Pennsylvania (Allegheny County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- May 12, 1987 · about 2:57 pm local time
- Place
- West Mifflin, Pennsylvania · Allegheny County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Learjet 35A · all 35As on the register
- Registration
- N100EP · registry record · serial 150
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COPLT (DUAL STUDENT) WAS TO GET A PROF CHECK ON THE 1ST LEG OF THE FLT WITH A SIMULATED SINGLE ENG PWR LOSS ON TKOF.ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE TKOF WAS NORMAL UNTIL LIFT-OFF APRX 3200' DOWN THE RWY; BUT AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE ACFT CLBD ONLY ABOUT 50' & DIDN'T SEEM TO ACCELERATE. THEY RPRTD THE NOSE PITCHED UP & THE ACFT WENT IN A STEEP BANK ATTITUDE NR THE DEP END OF THE RWY. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT DSCNDD & CRASHED IN WOODED TERRAIN IN A RGT WING DOWN, NOSE HI ATTITUDE. A BY- STANDER TRIED TO GET IN THE ACFT TO RESCUE THE PLTS, BUT THE DOOR WAS JAMMED & HE WAS UNABLE TO BREAK THE CABIN WINDOWS.A FIRE ERUPTED & ENGULFED THE ACFT. DUE TO ROUGH TERRAIN, THERE WAS A DELAY IN GETTING FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT TO THE ACDNT SITE. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURES WERE FND. THE GEAR, FLAPS & SPOILERS WERE FND IN THE RETRACTED PSN. FOR TKOF, THE FLAPS SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXTD TO THE 8 OR 20 DEG POSITION. THE STALL SPEEDS FOR 20 DEG, 8 DEG & NO FLAPS WERE 104.5, 109.0 & 119.5 KTS, RESPECTIVELY. THE CAPT WAS AN FAA DESIGNATED FLT EXAMINER & A CERTIFIED FLT INSTRUCTOR (CFI).
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; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,211 hours in all; 3,838 in this make and model; 78 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 8,517 as pilot in command; 660 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,203 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 20, 1987; 168 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 18,300 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Airesearch TFE-731-2-2B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Corporate Jets, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: AGC at 2:57 pm
- Destination: Teterboro NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from AGC, 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.