Gates Learjet 25 accident near Kansas City, Kansas, December 21, 1983
On December 21, 1983 at about 8:14 am local time, a Gates Learjet 25, registered N242AG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kansas City, Kansas (Fairfax Municipal airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 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
- December 21, 1983 · about 8:14 am local time
- Place
- Kansas City, Kansas · Fairfax Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Gates Learjet 25 · all 25s on the register
- Registration
- N242AG · registry record · serial 025
- 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
DURING TAKEOFF ON A SNOW COVERED RWY AT NIGHT THE AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY & WAS DAMAGED. AT THAT TIME, THE RWY WAS COVERED WITH A THIN LAYER OF DRY SNOW OVER THE TOP OF HARD PACKED SNOW. A 50 FT STRIP HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN PLOWED ALONG THE 150 FT WIDE RWY. HOWEVER, THE TOWER WAS CLOSED & NO SNOW REMOVAL WAS PERMITTED AFTER 2400 CST. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE OIL PRESSURE AFTER STARTING IN COLD WX. AS HE APPLIED TAKEOFF POWER, HE GLANCED AT THE ENG INSTRUMENTS, OIL PRESSURE & TEMP IN PARTICULAR. HE STATED THAT HE 'HAD JUST GONE VISUALLY OUTSIDE' WHEN THE COPILOT SAID 'WATCH YOURSELF.' AT THAT POINT, THE ACFT WAS ANGLING TO THE LEFT. THE PLT KEPT THE NOSE WHEEL STEERING ENGAGED & APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER, BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN RWY ALIGNMENT. HE REPORTED THE LEFT MAIN GEAR WAS IN 3 INCHES OF SNOW WHILE THE RIGHT GEAR WAS IN 1 INCH OF SNOW AND THIS INCREASED DRAG TO THE LEFT. THE PLT BELIEVED THAT IMPROPER SNOW REMOVAL WAS THE 'SOLE REASON.' OTHER ACFT LANDED & DEPARTED WITHOUT MAJOR DIFFICULTY.
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: 4,919 hours in all; 1,900 in this make and model; 380 in the last 90 days; 4,650 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,131 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 14, 1983; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 15,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CJ6110-6 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Central Air Charter, INC.
The flight
- Destination: DAL Dallas TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 7,301 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:48 am from MKC, 2 miles away
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.