Gates Learjet 35A accident near Eagle, Colorado, July 15, 2005
On July 15, 2005 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Gates Learjet 35A, registered N620JM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eagle, Colorado (Eagle County Regional Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper flare resulting in the hard landing and the fractured nose gear attachment, and the subsequent loss of control. Factors contributing to the accident were the high airspeed on approach, the pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision, and the pilot's inability to maintain directional control after the gear failure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 2005 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Eagle, Colorado · Eagle County Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Gates Learjet 35A · all 35As on the register
- Registration
- N620JM · no longer on the register · serial 207
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness saw the airplane approach from the east. She said that the airplane came in "pretty fast" and touched down "approximately half way down the runway." The witness said, "The nose was down. He hit the ground and within 3 seconds he was off the runway and gone. Then all you saw was smoke." The witness said when the airplane hit "the front end shook. It wobbled like a kid on a tricycle. When it shook, it kind of looked like it [the airplane] bounced. Then it was gone." The control tower operator said he heard the captain say something over the radio, which caused him to look in the direction of the airplane. The tower operator saw the airplane off the runway, the main landing gear came off behind the airplane, and the airplane caught fire. The tower operator said he saw four people get out of the airplane. The airplane came to rest in a shallow ravine approximately 331 feet north of the runway. An examination of the airplane showed impact damage to the nose gear and nose gear wheel well. An examination of the airplane's systems 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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 29,612 hours in all; 8,967 in this make and model; 189 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 19,612 as pilot in command; 5,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,433 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 7,305 as pilot in command; 80 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,234 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 1, 2005; 93 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 18,300 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Garrett TFE731-2-2B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Garrett TFE731-2-2B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ASE Aspen CO at 3:15 pm
- Destination: EGE Eagle CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 25, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.35 inHg
- Observation at 3:24 pm from EGE, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
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.