Gates Learjet 25D accident near Eagle, Colorado, December 22, 1983
On December 22, 1983 at about 10:40 pm local time, a Gates Learjet 25D, registered N300PL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eagle, Colorado (Eagle County airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91, subpart F). 1 person was seriously injured and 4 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- December 22, 1983 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Eagle, Colorado · Eagle County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 4 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Gates Learjet 25D · all 25Ds on the register
- Registration
- N300PL · registry record · serial 247
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91, subpart F)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE, THE ARICREW ENCOUNTERED STRONGER HEADWINDS THAN EXPECTED. THEY REALIZED THERE WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH FUEL RESERVED FOR AN IFR FLT TO ASPEN, SO THE ELECTED TO DIVERT TO EAGLE, CO. HOWEVER, THEIR LANDING AT ENGLE WAS DELAYED DUE TO A SNOWPLOW (WITH NO RADIO) ON THE RWY. AFTER CIRCLING & REENTERING FINAL APCH, THE AIRCREW NOTED THAT THE SNOWPLOW WAS STILL ON THE RWY, HEADED IN THEIR DIRECTION. THEY CONTINUED THEIR APCH & THE SNOWPLOW CLEARED THE RWY. ACCORDING TO THE SNOWPLOW OPERATOR, THE ACFT WAS 100 TO 200 FT AGL WHEN IT CROSSED THE THRESHOLD. A FSS SPECIALIST NOTED THAT THE ACFT WAS STILL AIRBORNE WHEN IT PASSED THE 2ND TURNOFF, APRX 2300 FT FROM THE THRESHOLD. AFTER TOUCHING DOWN ON THE SNOW COVERED RWY, THE PLT DEPLOYED THE SPOILERS & IMMEDIATELY APPLIED BRAKING ACTION, BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP ON THE REMAINING RWY. THE ACFT CONTINUED OFF THE END OF THE RWY, WENT DOWN A 15 FT BANK & RAN INTO A SMALL RAVINE. THE RWY GRADIENT WAS 1.4% DOWNHILL, ELEV 6538 FT. DRAG CHUTE NOT DEPLOYED, 600 LBS FUEL RMNG.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,376 hours in all; 735 in this make and model; 99 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 6,574 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,887 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 21, 1983; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 15,500 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CJ-610-8A (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Amf Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: STL St. Louis MO at 7:58 pm
- Destination: ASE Aspen CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26, 5,013 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from EGE, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
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.