Gulfstream G-1159 accident near Cleveland, Ohio, February 15, 1991
On February 15, 1991 at about 1:43 am local time, a Gulfstream G-1159, registered N85EQ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cleveland, Ohio (Burke Lakefront airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN FLIGHT DECISION TO LAND ON A SNOW COVERED RUNWAY. THE LACK OF ADEQUATE BRAKING ACTION RESULTED IN THE PILOT INTENTIONALLY GROUND LOOPING THE AIRPLANE AND OVERLOADING THE MAIN LANDING GEAR. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE SNOW COVERED RUNWAY AND A TAILWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 15, 1991 · about 1:43 am local time
- Place
- Cleveland, Ohio · Burke Lakefront · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Gulfstream G-1159 · all G-1159s on the register
- Registration
- N85EQ · no longer on the register · serial 028
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD EXECUTED AN ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 24R. THE PILOT OF A CESSNA 210 REPORTED THE RUNWAY BRAKING ACTION TO BE POOR. THE REPORTED WIND WAS FROM 350 DEGREES AT 18 KTS. ON TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT OF N58EQ USED REVERSE ENGINE THRUST AND FULL BRAKING BUT THE AIRPLANE DID NOT DECELERATE SUFFICIENTLY. THE PILOT SAW THE END OF THE RUNWAY APPROACHING AND STEERED THE AIRPLANE OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND INTENTIONALLY GROUNDLOOPED. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DUE TO OVERLOAD FORCES.
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: 16,000 hours in all; 6,000 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 13,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 62,000 lb
- Seats: 13
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce SPEY 511-8 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Equitable Bank Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: BWI Baltimore MD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 6,189 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.