Gates Lear Jet 35 N31WS

Summary

On 3 February 2012 at about 02:12 local time, a Gates Lear Jet 35 registered N31WS, operated by Extrapoint LLC, was involved in an accident near Pueblo, Colorado, United States. 10 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 February 2012 at 02:12

Classification

Accident

Location

Pueblo, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Pueblo (PUB)

Coordinates

38.2867, -104.4911

Aircraft

Gates Lear Jet 35

Registration

N31WS

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Extrapoint LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pueblo → Las Vegas

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN12FA151

Nobody was injured.

The captain's failure to maintain airplane control during an attempted crosswind takeoff on a contaminated runway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilots were departing on a contaminated runway with a left crosswind at night in a snowstorm. According to global positioning system data, when the airplane reached a ground speed of 120 knots on the takeoff roll, it veered to the right. The captain was unable to maintain directional control, and the airplane veered off the right side of the runway. The airplane continued across several taxiways, and the main landing gear assemblies and the right wing tip fuel tank separated from the airframe, then the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest on a grassy area. All eight passengers and both pilots exited the airplane through the main cabin door. Postaccident examination revealed that damage to the right main landing gear torque link and both tires was consistent with the runway excursion. The cockpit voice recorder was not working properly, and audio from the accident flight was not recorded. Data downloaded from the digital electronic engine controls indicated that both engines were operating with no significant difference in thrust. An examination of the airplane's flight controls revealed no preimpact mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.