Learjet 60 accident near Jackson, Wyoming, March 12, 2000
On March 12, 2000 at about 3:40 pm local time, a Learjet 60, registered N240FX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jackson, Wyoming (Jackson Hole Airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 pilot not following the airplane manufacturer's recommended landing procedures for a contaminated runway by landing with a tailwind. Factors were the pilot's inadvertent deactivation of the anti-skid protection, the ice contaminated runway, and the snow covered terrain beyond the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 2000 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Jackson, Wyoming · Jackson Hole Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Learjet 60 · all 60s on the register
- Registration
- N240FX · no longer on the register · serial 167
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane departed Provo, Utah, with its thrust reversers mechanically pinned in forward thrust. The ILS approach to runway 18 (6,299 x 150 feet, contaminated with ice, and -.611% gradient) at Jackson Hole Airport was performed with a 6.5 knot tailwind. During the landing roll, the captain used the emergency braking system, which deactivated the anti-skid protection. At mid-field, the airplane slid left, then slid right, and then left back to the runway centerline where the captain said he continued braking. The airplane continued beyond the end of the runway for 160 feet into snow approximately 2 feet deep. The manufacturer's Airplane Flight Manual indicates that when emergency braking is utilized, the anti-skid protection is deactivated. The CVR recorded a 'high pitch' sound at 0839:44, which was the high-pressure air of the emergency braking system being activated. The Airplane Flight Manual also limits landing on contaminated runways to the following: A. Winds must be zero or a headwind of less than 30 knots (i.e. no tailwind); B. The runway gradient must be between -1% and +2.2%; and C. The anti-skid system must be operational.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,415 hours in all; 1,389 in this make and model; 156 in the last 90 days; 96 in the last 30 days; 2,495 as pilot in command; 516 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 320 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 7, 2000; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 23,500 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PW-305A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVU Provo UT at 2:57 pm
- Destination: JAC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 6,299 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft; ovct at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from JAC
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.