Learjet LR-35A incident near Key Largo, Florida, January 24, 1994
On January 24, 1994 at about 4:55 pm local time, a Learjet LR-35A, registered N30HJ, suffered minor damage in an incident near Key Largo, Florida (Ocean Reef Club airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER GLIDEPATH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 24, 1994 · about 4:55 pm local time
- Place
- Key Largo, Florida · Ocean Reef Club · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Learjet LR-35A
- Registration
- N30HJ · registry record · serial 226
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR WAS DAMAGED UPON IMPACT. THE PILOT AND COPILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE CROSSED A TREE LINE AND SANK RAPIDLY. FAA OFFICIALS ON SCENE OBSERVED TIRE MARKS IN THE SOFT CORAL LEADING UP TO THE RUNWAY.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,450 hours in all; 950 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 2,050 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,883 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme; 125 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 18,500 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TFE 731 2-2B (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FLL Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:57 pm from MIA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.