Gates Learjet 35A accident near Cancun, Mx, August 15, 2003
On August 15, 2003 at about 3:22 am local time, a Gates Learjet 35A, registered N403FW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cancun. 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 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
- August 15, 2003 · about 3:22 am local time
- Place
- Cancun, Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Gates Learjet 35A · all 35As on the register
- Registration
- N403FW · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Air America Flight Services, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: KFXE Ft. Lauderdale FL at 1:45 am
- Destination: MMUN Cancun
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 30,000 ft; a few clouds at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from MMUN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 |
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.