Gates Lear Jet 35 accident near Opa-Locka, Florida, July 12, 2011
On July 12, 2011 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Gates Lear Jet 35, registered N110UN, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Opa-Locka, Florida (Opa-Locka Executive airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flightcrew’s inadvertent encounter with windshear during landing, which resulted in a loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 2011 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Opa-Locka, Florida · Opa-Locka Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Gates Lear Jet 35 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N110UN · no longer on the register · serial 007
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
When the pilot made his initial radio contact with the tower air traffic controller, he acknowledged receiving the airport’s latest automatic terminal information service information. As the airplane approached the airport, the controller made several announcements that there was an area of weather about 5 miles in diameter with light-to-moderate precipitation over the airport. The pilot reported that, during the landing, at an altitude of about 30 feet above the runway, the airplane encountered windshear. The airplane started to roll to the left, and the airspeed decreased by 20 knots. As the pilot attempted to regain control of the airplane, the right wingtip contacted the runway surface. A review of high resolution automated surface observation system data from the airport indicated that, 2 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 338 degrees at 4 knots. Subsequently, there was a steady increase in wind velocity to 15 knots 4 minutes after the accident. During this 6 minute period, the wind direction varied between 353 degrees and 011 degrees. Terminal Doppler weather radar data indicated strong convective activity northwest of the airport from 2 minutes before to 10 minutes after the accident with possible micro bursts and diverging winds near the surface from the time of the accident to 5 minutes after the accident.
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
- Windshear or thunderstorm during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Windshear › Effect on equipment
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,594 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 11, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 6, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 19,128 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 15, 2011; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 18,300 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Airesearch TFE731 SER (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Airesearch TFE731 SER (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Robinson Air Crane, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: OPF Opa-Locka FL at 4:55 pm
- Destination: OPF Opa-Locka FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 6,800 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 5:26 pm from OPF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.