Learjet 35 accident near Guantanamo Bay, Outside the U.S., December 2, 2022
On December 2, 2022 at about 2:08 am local time, a 1981 Learjet 35, registered N979RF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Guantanamo Bay, Outside the U.S. (Guantanamo Bay Naval Air Stati airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight crew’s continuation of an unstable approach which resulted in abnormal runway contact during the landing flare and touchdown.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 2022 · about 2:08 am local time · cases in 2022
- Place
- Guantanamo Bay, Cuba · Guantanamo Bay Naval Air Stati · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Learjet 35 A, built 1981 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N979RF · registry record · serial 376
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight crew reported that during a civilian positioning flight to pick up a medical patient, they were cleared to land via a visual approach at night. During the base segment in the traffic pattern, the first officer, who was the pilot flying, lost sight of the runway and transferred the flight controls to the captain at an altitude of about 900 ft mean sea level. The first officer stated that after the exchange of the flight controls, the “aircraft was on short final and passed over the threshold at an angle.” Subsequently, during the captain’s landing flare and touchdown, the stick shaker activated, and the left wing dropped and impacted the runway. The captain completed the landing roll, stopped the airplane on the runway, and all of the occupants exited without incident. The impact with the runway resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The flight crew did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Flight crew
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,732 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 151 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 8,753 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,458 hours in all; 146 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 1,141 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 16, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,719 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, November 3, 2022; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 18,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Garrett TFE 731-2C-2B (turbofan); 13,633 hours total
- Engine 3: Garrett TFE 731-2C-2B (turbofan); 28,406 hours total
- Operator: Reva, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL at 7:43 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 8,000 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from MUGM, 3 miles away
Weather report (METAR): MUGM 020151Z 35010KT 10SM SCT065 BKN080 26/22 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP169 T02560217 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 5 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1: Overview of the airplane and the damaged left wing
Photo 2: View of the substantial damage sustained to the left wing
Photo 3: Additional view of the substantial damage sustained to the left wingThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 7, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record (Flight Crew Statements) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N979RF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N979RF on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Learjet 35 161 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Engine: Garrett TFE 731-2C-2B 25 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Garrett TFE 731-2C-2B 25 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Fort Lauderdale Executive · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Outside the U.S. 1,249 since 1982 · 1,232 in the last ten years
- Outside the U.S. 0 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N979RF 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA23LA081.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.