British Aerospace HS125-800 incident near Atlanta, Georgia, March 22, 1990
On March 22, 1990, a British Aerospace HS125-800, registered N802X, was involved in an incident near Atlanta, Georgia. It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91, subpart F). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LEAKING AFT LAVATORY WATER HEATER UNIT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 1990
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- British Aerospace HS125-800 · all HS125-800s on the register
- Registration
- N802X · no longer on the register · serial NA-0418
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91, subpart F)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CORPORATE JET WAS CRUISING AT FL330 WHEN THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE AILERONS WERE LOCKED. HE FOUND THAT THE AFT LAVATORY WATER SYSTEM HAD LEAKED TWO AND A HALF GALLONS OF POTABLE WATER INTO THE KEEL AREA OF THE FUSELAGE AROUND THE AILERON CABLES AND PULLEYS. THE PILOT SURMISED THAT THE WATER WAS FROZEN AROUND THE CABLES AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS -50 C. DURING FINAL APPROACH, AILERON CONTROL WAS REGAINED AND A NORMAL LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED. EXAMINATION OF THE LAVATORY WATER SYSTEM REVEALED A CRACKED COPPER OUTPUT LINE ON THE WATER HEATER UNIT.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,110 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 7,321 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 27,400 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett 731-5R-1H (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Exxon Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: IAH Houston TX at 11:10 pm
- Destination: EWR Newark NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from ATL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.