Learjet 45 incident near Teterboro, New Jersey, June 25, 2008
On June 25, 2008 at about 9:34 am local time, a Learjet 45, registered N988PA, was involved in an incident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Teterboro, New Jersey (Teterboro, New Jersey airport). It was flown 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 local air traffic controller's failure to follow published procedures and directives, resulting in a landing airplane coming in close proximity to runway workers.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 2008 · about 9:34 am local time
- Place
- Teterboro, New Jersey · Teterboro, New Jersey · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Learjet 45 · all 45s on the register
- Registration
- N988PA · registry record · serial N988PA
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The local air traffic controller was working alone and was aware that runways 1 and 19 were closed due to maintenance related work. He appropriately placed internal tower controls to indicate that the runways were closed, but failed to place that information on the recorded ATIS (automatic terminal information service) for arriving and departing air traffic. He also failed to advise the local approach controller when the approach controller called him to advise that he had an airplane inbound to land on runway 19. The tower controller subsequently cleared the approaching airplane to land on the closed runway. The airplane landed without incident, but passed within approximately 150 feet of two workers on the runway. The controller's written statement reads in its entirety, "While performing required non-control duties WDR 988 landed on runway 19."
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
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › ATC personnel
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: HPN White Plains NY at 9:20 am
- Destination: KTEB Teterboro NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 19, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:51 am from KTEB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.