Cessna 402 and Gates Learjet LR-35A incident near West Palm Bch, Florida, July 5, 1985
On July 5, 1985 at about 1:50 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 402 (N68368) and Gates Learjet LR-35A (N163A), were involved in the same incident near West Palm Bch, Florida (West Palm Beach Int'L airport). No one was hurt; 11 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 incident. 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
- July 5, 1985 · about 1:50 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Bch, Florida · West Palm Beach Int'L · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 11 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 402 · all 402s on the register
- Registration
- N68368 · no longer on the register · serial 0460
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Gates Learjet LR-35A
- Registration
- N163A · registry record · serial 073
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 402 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A LEARIET 35 WAS CLEARED ON TO RUNWAY 09L AND HOLD, THE LEARJET CREW CONFIRMED WITH THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER PERSONNEL THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS INTENDED FOR THEM AND TAXIED INTO POSITION AND HELD. PERSONNEL ON DUTY IN THE CONTROL TOWER THEN CLEARED A CESSNA 403 INTO POSITION AND HOLD ON RUNWAY 13. THE TOWER PERSONNEL THEN CLEARED THE LEARJET FOR DEPARTURE AND HE AKNOWLEDGED. BOTH AIRCRAFT THEN BEGAN TO TAKE OFF AND MISSED EACH OTHER BY ABOUT 10 FT AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE. THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA STATED LATER THAT THE THOUGHT THE CLEARANCE WAS FOR HIM.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Gates Learjet LR-35A final · quoted from the NTSB record
A LEARJET 35 WAS CLEARED ON TO RUNWAY 09L AND HOLD, THE LEARJET CREW CONFIRMED WITH THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER PERSONNEL THAT TE TRANSMISSION WAS INTENDED FOR THEM AND TAXIED INTO POSITION AND HELD. PERSONNEL ON DUTY IN THE CONTROL TOWER THEN CLEARED A CESSNA 403 POSITION AND HOLD ON RUNWAY 13. THE TOWER PERSONNEL THEN CLEARED THE LEARJET FOR DEPARTURE AND HE ACKNOWLEDGED. BOTH AIRCRAFT THEN BEGAN TO TAKE OFF AND MISSED EACH OTHER BY ABOUT 10 FT AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE. THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA STATED LATER THAT HE THOGHT THE CLEARANCE WAS FOR HIM.
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 for the Cessna 402 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,435 hours in all; 2,988 in this make and model; 330 in the last 90 days; 6,225 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,011 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 29, 1985; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,850 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520VB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Gull Air
The flight
- Departed from: PBI West Palm Bch FL
- Destination: MIA Miami FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 6,930 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:58 pm from PBIA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Gates Learjet LR-35A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,830 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 17,000 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TFE-731-2-2B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alpha Services INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MYNN Nassau OF at 1:50 pm
- Destination: MYNN Nassau OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9, 7,991 ft by 150 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 8 |
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.