Gates Learjet 36A incident near Tyndall Afb, Florida, September 21, 1987
On September 21, 1987 at about 9:02 pm local time, a Gates Learjet 36A, registered N900MD, suffered minor damage in an incident near Tyndall Afb, Florida (Tyndall Afb airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 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
- September 21, 1987 · about 9:02 pm local time
- Place
- Tyndall Afb, Florida · Tyndall Afb · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Gates Learjet 36A
- Registration
- N900MD · no longer on the register · serial 045
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CAPTAIN ABORTED THE TAKEOFF AT 124 KTS AFTER HEARING AN EXPLOSIVE SOUND, FEELING THE AIRCRAFT SWERVE, AND SEEING DEBRIS FROM A MAIN WHEEL RIM AND BRAKE BEING THROWN FORWARD OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED DOWN THE RUNWAY, BARELY CONTROLLABLE AND WITHOUT WHEEL BRAKES. IT THEN COLLIDED WITH THE CAPTURE BARRIER AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND OVERRAN THE RUNWAY. THE OPERATOR ATTRIBUTED THE EXPLOSIVE SOUND TO FAILURE OF ONE OF THE LEFT MAIN GEAR WHEEL RIMS. A BRAKE LINE ON THE LEFT GEAR WAS SEVERED DURING THE OCCURRENCE.
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: 16,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,154 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 17,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TFE-731-2-2B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight International, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31L, 8,075 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from PFN, 10 miles away
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.
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.