Gates Learjet LEAR 25B accident near Carlsbad, California, December 23, 1991
On December 23, 1991 at about 4:25 pm local time, a Gates Learjet LEAR 25B, registered N44PA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carlsbad, California (Mcclellan-Palomar airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 PILOT NOT ATTAINING THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PERFORM A GO-AROUND. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH AND UNEVEN TERRAIN WHICH WAS ENCOUNTERED AFTER THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 1991 · about 4:25 pm local time
- Place
- Carlsbad, California · Mcclellan-Palomar · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Gates Learjet LEAR 25B
- Registration
- N44PA · registry record · serial 144
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
3THE PILOT AND CO-PILOT REPORTED IN THEIR WRITTEN STATEMENTS THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOVE GLIDESLOPE ON THE FINAL APPROACH. THEY SAID THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 1,500 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE 4,700 FEET LONG RUNWAY. THE PILOT SAID HE APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT COULD NOT STOP THE AIRPLANE ON THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND CONTINUED FORWARD OVER ROUGH AND UNEVEN TERRAIN. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR SHEARED OFF AND PENETRATED BOTH WINGS. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP IN A GULLY. OTHER WITTNESSES LOCATED ON THE GROUND AND IN THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WAS 'HIGH AND FAST' AND TOUCHED DOWN AT ABOUT MIDFIELD OR AFTER.
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: 6,180 hours in all; 117 in this make and model; 94 in the last 90 days; 4,830 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,117 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 2, 2000; 161 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 15,000 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CJ610-6A (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight Management, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: TUL Tulsa OK at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 4,700 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
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 N44PA 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.