Learjet 35A accident near Morristown, New Jersey, July 26, 1988
On July 26, 1988 at about 11:40 am local time, a Learjet 35A, registered N442NE, was destroyed in an accident near Morristown, New Jersey (Morristown airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- July 26, 1988 · about 11:40 am local time
- Place
- Morristown, New Jersey · Morristown
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Learjet 35A · all 35As on the register
- Registration
- N442NE · no longer on the register · serial 442
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CREW WAS POSITIONING THE AIRCRAFT IN PREPARATION FOR A REVENUE FLIGHT AND EXECUTING A NON-DIRECTIONAL BEACON (NDB) APCH TO RWY 05. THE CAPTAIN REPORTED THAT THE COPILOT WAS FLYING THE ACFT. HOWEVER, THE CAPT STATED THAT HE TOOK CONTROLOF THE ACFT DURING THE APCH AND MADE SOME CONTROL CORRECTIONS BEFORE RETURNING CONTROL OF THE ACFT TO THE COPILOT. RADARDATA INDICATED THAT ACFT CONTROL WAS ERRATIC THROUGHOUT THE APCH AND THAT THE AIRSPEED AND DESCENT RATES WERE HIGH (3000 FPM SINK RATE) SHORTLY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE ACFT STRUCK A FENCE SHORT OF THE RWY AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE CAPT SAID HE REALIZED THE ACFT WAS DRIFTING LEFT OF COURSE BUT DID NOT CORRECT IT. HE SAID HE TOLD THE COPILOT TO ADD POWER TWICE DURING THE APCH. THE COPILOT'S TRAINING HISTORY INDICATED DIFFICULTY IN CONTROL, SCAN OF INSTRUMENTS, AND WITH INSTRUMENT PROCEDURES. COMPANY MANAGEMENT DESCRIBED THE CAPT AS PASSIVE AND THE COPILOT AS AGGRESSIVE. SUPERVISION OF TNG AND OPERATIONS BY MANAGEMENT AND SURVEILLANCE OF THE COMPANY BY THE FAA WAS CONSIDERED INADEQUATE BY NTSB.
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: 4,810 hours in all; 2,100 in this make and model; 159 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 3,010 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,274 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 29, 1988; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 18,300 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TFE-731-22B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ABE Allentown PA
- Destination: MMU Morristown NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 5, 5,999 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:46 am from MMU, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
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.