Gates Learjet 24B accident near San Francisco, California, October 9, 1984
On October 9, 1984 at about 2:49 am local time, a Gates Learjet 24B, registered N864CL, was destroyed in an accident near San Francisco, California (San Francisco Int'L airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. 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
- October 9, 1984 · about 2:49 am local time
- Place
- San Francisco, California · San Francisco Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Gates Learjet 24B · all 24Bs on the register
- Registration
- N864CL · no longer on the register · serial 229
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT, A GATES LEAR JET 24B, MODIFIED BY A HOWARD/RAISEBACH MARK II CONVERSION, WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF ON RWY 28L. TOWER PSNL ESTIMATED THAT THE ACFT ROTATED FOR TAKEOFF AT 3200' DOWN THE RWY & WAS AT APRX 200' AGL WHEN THE PLT WAS INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT DEPARTURE CONTROL. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT CLIMBING IN A WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE WHEN IT ENTERED THE BROKEN CLD LAYER AT ABOUT 600' AGL. MOMENTS LATER, THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED DESCENDING OUT OF THE CLDS AT A STEEP ANGLE& IN A LEFT WING LOW/NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE ACFT IMPACTED BETWEEN RWYS 28L & 28R, APRX 10,000' FROM THE APCH ENDS. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ENGS SOUNDED LIKE THEY WERE OPERATING AT A HI PWR SETTING. AN EXAM OF THE ENGS REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT BOTH WERE AT OR ABOVE 92% PWR AT IMPACT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. RECORDS REVEALED2 AUTOPLT DISCREPANCIES ON 10/4/84; ONE INDCD THE ROLL MODE WAS SENSITIVE; THE OTHER INDCD THE AUTOPLT INTERMITTENTLY ROLLED THE ACFT INTO A STANDARD RATE LEFT BANK WHEN ENGAGED. RPRTDLY, THE AUTOPLT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN USED FOR TAKEOFF.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 8,600 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25,515 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 30, 1954; 661 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 15,000 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CJ610-6 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Clay Lacy Av INC
The flight
- Departed from: SFO at 3:49 am
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28L, 10,600 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 280° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 600 ft; not recorded at 600 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.