Gates Learjet 35A accident near College Station, Texas, December 13, 1985
On December 13, 1985 at about 1:21 am local time, a Gates Learjet 35A, registered N723GL, was destroyed in an accident near College Station, Texas (Easterwood airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 13, 1985 · about 1:21 am local time
- Place
- College Station, Texas · Easterwood
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Gates Learjet 35A · all 35As on the register
- Registration
- N723GL · no longer on the register · serial 35-107
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT ROLLED TO THE RIGHT AND CRASHED AFTER A CATASTROPHIC (UNCONTAINED) FAILURE OF THE RT ENG DURING TAKEOFF FOR A NIGHT FLT. THE RT ENG FAN ROTOR DISC SEPARATED FROM THE HUB WHICH DAMAGED THE COWLING AND SOME DISC FRAGMENTS BURIED IN THE FUSELAGE BUT WITHOUT DAMAGE TO THE FLT CONTROLS. THE DRAG CREATED BY THE LOSS OF THRUST AND THE DISTORTED COWLING LED TO YAW AND ROLL WITH LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE ACFT. THE FAN FAILURE PROPAGATED FROM A LOW GRADE FATIGUE CRACK ON THE HIGH TIME FAN WHICH WAS NOT DETECTED BY THE VISUAL INSPECTION PROCEDURES EXISTING AT THE TIME. THE MAUNUFACTURER HAS SINCE IMPROVED THE MANUFACTURING AND INSPECTION TECHNIQUES. AN AD 86-04-02 WAS ISSUED ON 2/14/86 WHICH DEALS WITH FAN REMOVAL FROM SERVICE ACCORDING TO AN OPERATING CYCLE SCHEDULE.
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: 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: 20,500 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 260 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,963 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, November 5, 1985; 121 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 17,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TFE-731-2-2B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: HOU Houstin TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 5,161 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:30 am from CLL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 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.