Gates Learjet 25B accident near Waterville, Maine, July 28, 1984
On July 28, 1984 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Gates Learjet 25B, registered N1JR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waterville, Maine (Lafleur airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. 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 28, 1984 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Waterville, Maine · Lafleur
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Gates Learjet 25B · all 25Bs on the register
- Registration
- N1JR · registry record · serial 188
- 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 PREFLIGHT PREPARATION FOR DEPARTURE FROM A SHORT FIELD THE PLT FAILED TO REMOVE THE PITOT TUBE COVERS. ON TAKEOFF ROLL, THE STALL WARNING LIGHT BEGAN TO FLICKER. PLT NOTED AIRSPEED WAS NOT REGISTERING BUT DID NOT CONSIDER THIS UNUSUAL IN THE EARLY PART OF A TAKEOFF ROLL. PLT TURNED LEFT STALL WARNING SWITCH OFF, THEN BACK ON, WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ON. PLT THEN INITIATED ABORT PROCEDURES, USING FULL REVERSE THRUST AND BRAKES. THE ACFT OVERRAN RUNWAY BY ABOUT 100 FT AND DOWN A ROUGH EMBANKMENT WHICH SEPARATED THE LANDING GEAR.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,440 hours in all; 375 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 7,542 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,168 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 27, 1984; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 15,500 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge 610 (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WVL Waterville ME at 7:45 pm
- Destination: HPN White Plains NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 5, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from AUG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.