Learjet 35A accident near Orlando, Florida, November 4, 1987
On November 4, 1987 at about 2:05 am local time, a Learjet 35A, registered N888DJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orlando, Florida (Orlando Intl airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 4, 1987 · about 2:05 am local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Orlando Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Learjet 35A · all 35As on the register
- Registration
- N888DJ · registry record · serial 067
- 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
THE ACFT MADE A HARD LDG DURING HEAVY RAIN & AFTER BEING ADVISED OF WIND SHEAR. THE CREW STATED THAT AT ONE POINT, THE ACFT WAS THROWN INTO A 60 DEG BANK WITH AIRSPEED FLUCTUATIONS PLUS OR MINUS 20 KTS ABOUT 400 TO 600 FT AGL. THE PLT STATED THAT AT 100 TO 150 FT AGL, THE ACFT GAINED ALT VERY SWIFTLY & DROPPED VERY SWIFTLY TO THE RWY. THE ACFT STRUCK THE RWY WITH A HIGH SINK RATE WHICH BLEW A TIRE, BROKE A WHEEL & CAUSED THE LEFT ENGINE TO TEAR LOOSE FROM THE MOUNT & DAMAGE THE WING. AFTER LDG, THE PLT TAXIED TO THE RAMP WHERE THE DAMAGE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DISCOVERED DURING A WALKAROUND INSPECTION. THE PLT HAD RECENTLY RECEIVED GROUND TRAINING IN WIND SHEAR. PAX ABOARD THE FLT STATED THAT THEY HAD SUSTAINED ANOTHER HARD LDG EARLIER IN THE DAY AT TETERBORO, NJ ON THE SAME ACFT FLOWN BY THE SAME CREW. THE PLT WAS GIVEN A REMEDIAL FLIGHT REVIEW AS A RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT BY THE FAA.
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: 5,390 hours in all; 2,675 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,159 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, August 12, 1987; 88 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 17,000 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TFE-731-2B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bizjet, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: TEB Teterboro NJ
- Destination: MCO Orlando FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18R, 12,004 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 009° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft; scat at 500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:06 am from MCO, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Other NTSB records under N888DJ the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA88LA026.