Learjet INC 60 incident near Teterboro, New Jersey, September 28, 2012
On September 28, 2012 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Learjet INC 60, registered N862PA, was involved in an incident during takeoff near Teterboro, New Jersey (Teterboro Airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the nosewheel steering computer strut servo for reasons that could not be determined or replicated during postincident testing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 28, 2012 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Teterboro, New Jersey · Teterboro Airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Learjet INC 60
- Registration
- N862PA · registry record · serial 014
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After pretakeoff checks revealed no anomalies, the pilots taxied the airplane to the runway for takeoff. Shortly after beginning the takeoff roll, they received an aural warning, and the nosegear steering disconnect light illuminated on the master caution panel. The airplane veered left, and the pilots aborted the takeoff. The airplane’s nose landing gear and left main landing gear exited the left side of the runway, where the airplane came to rest undamaged. During postincident maintenance and troubleshooting, the airplane’s nosewheel steering computer was replaced, and subsequent taxi tests confirmed normal operation of the steering. The removed nosewheel steering computer was sent to the manufacturer’s facility for further testing, where it performed within specifications. The unit’s history log indicated repeated attempts to calibrate the unit and ultimately a failure of the strut servo. However, the failure could not be replicated in postincident tests.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during takeoff defining event
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Related operating info
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,541 hours in all; 4,233 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 12,193 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 28, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,922 hours in all; 377 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 4,026 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 29, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,598 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 1, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 23,500 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P & W PW305A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P & W PW305A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TEB Teterboro NJ at 4:15 pm
- Destination: ABE Allentown PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 6,013 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 4:09 pm from TEB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N862PA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.