"NTSB Issues Urgent Recommendation on Learjet Landing Gear"

(Video excerpts showing the landing rollout to impact during a Feb. 10 runway excursion in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Source: NTSB)​

Main landing gear could separate on landing

WASHINGTON (Oct. 29, 2025) – The National Transportation Safety Board issued an urgent recommendation Wednesday to ensure main landing gear are correctly attached on certain Bombardier Learjet airplanes.

The urgent recommendation to the Federal Aviation Administration would require operators of 10 Learjet models -- affecting 1,883 airplanes currently in service -- to comply with manufacturer service bulletins on landing gear maintenance. A second recommendation to the FAA would require Bombardier to revise procedures to include a post-maintenance visual check of the position of the aft landing gear trunnion pin and retaining bolt. In the absence of a required verification step, a mechanic could inadvertently install the retaining bolt without it passing through the trunnion pin, leaving the gear insecurely attached to the airframe. The misassembly is not readily detectable during routine maintenance or preflight inspections.

The recommendations stem from the investigation of a fatal Feb. 10 runway excursion in Scottsdale, Arizona. After touchdown, the Learjet 35A entered a left-wing-low attitude and began veering left, exiting the runway and striking a parked Gulfstream G200 jet. The left main landing gear separated during the accident sequence and came to rest on an adjacent taxiway. The Learjet’s captain was killed and the first officer and a passenger on the Learjet were seriously injured. An occupant in the Gulfstream was also seriously injured.

During the Scottsdale investigation, the NTSB learned of three prior events in which Learjet landing gear disconnected from the airframe because the retaining bolt was not engaged through the aft trunnion pin.

• On Oct. 4, 1995, the left main landing gear of a Learjet 25B airplane collapsed during landing rollout at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
• On Feb. 4, 2001, the left main gear of a Learjet 25B separated from the airframe shortly after touchdown at Saint Lucie County International Airport, in Fort Pierce, Florida, and the airplane skidded off the left side of the runway.
• On March 28, 2008, a Learjet VU-35A airplane operated by the Brazilian Air Force experienced a runway excursion after the left main landing gear collapsed upon touchdown at Recife/Guararapes–Gilberto Freyre International Airport in Recife, Brazil.

A Bombardier service bulletin issued after the Scottsdale accident asked operators of the affected Learjets to perform a one-time check to ensure landing gear are correctly attached. Only 12 percent of subject airplanes have been inspected, according to Bombardier.

(Left main landing gear at the Scottsdale accident site with inset diagram of the landing gear assembly (Inset source: Bombardier)

The NTSB issues urgent recommendations to address immediate, critical issues that threaten lives or property. The NTSB does not need to wait until the end of investigations to issue recommendations. Recipients have 30 days to respond.

Read the full recommendation report on ntsb.gov.

To report an incident/accident or if you are a public safety agency, please call 1-844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290 to speak to a Watch Officer at the NTSB Response Operations Center (ROC) in Washington, DC (24/7).

Cirrus SR22 GTS G3, N42BE, fatal accident occurred on October 21, 2025, near Ruston Regional Airport (RSN/KRSN), Ruston, Louisiana

• Location: Ruston, LA 
• Accident Number: ERA26FA019 
• Date & Time: October 21, 2025, 09:44 Local 
• Registration: N42BE 
• Aircraft: Cirrus SR22 
• Injuries: 1 Fatal 
• Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201906/pdf

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N42BE

On October 21, 2025, about 0944 central daylight time, a Cirrus SR22, N42BE, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Ruston, Louisiana. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to preliminary ADS-B and communications data obtained from the FAA, the airplane departed from Huntsville Municipal Airport (UTS), Huntsville, Texas at 0830 with a destination of Ruston Regional Airport (RSN), Ruston, Louisiana. Air traffic control (ATC) cleared the airplane for the RNAV RWY 36 approach, which the pilot acknowledged, but shortly thereafter the pilot requested a go-around. The controller cleared the pilot to climb, maintain 2,000 ft and to turn right to a heading 120°. The controller asked the pilot if the visibility or ceilings were too low and the pilot responded that he was having “a little trouble with my autopilot there getting that programmed in.” The controller asked the pilot to verify the airplane’s heading and provided a low altitude alert. The controller then again asked the pilot to verify the heading and asked the pilot if he was flying using the autopilot or “hand flying.” The pilot responded that he was “hand flying” the airplane. There were no further communications received from the pilot.

The accident site was located in heavily wooded terrain 2 1/2 miles southeast from the beginning of runway 36. The airplane first contacted a 60 ft tall tree before contacting three other trees at altitudes of 30 ft, 27ft, and 24 ft, respectively. According to data recovered from the airplane’s recoverable data module (RDM), the airplane was in a left bank and nose low attitude at the time of impact. The impact crater was located 30 ft southeast from the initial tree strike and was 2 ft in depth and 6 ft in circumference. The main debris field was 330 ft long and 60 ft wide and along a 103° heading, with debris extending outwards. A postcrash fire consumed portions of the fuselage, wings, and empennage. Fuel blighting was visible on vegetation throughout the debris field.

The engine was impact separated and located beyond the impact crater and to the left side of the main debris path. According to RDM data, the engine was producing 2500 rpm (91% power), and all cylinder head temperatures and exhaust gas temperatures were consistent with normal engine operation at the time of the accident.

Both magnetos were impact separated from the engine and were not recovered. A large hole consistent with impact damage was observed on the crankcase above the number 2 and 4 cylinders. One counterweight was visible through the crankcase hole and was unremarkable. A connecting rod was visible through the hole and remained secured to the crankshaft.

The top spark plugs sustained impact damage and were removed for further investigation. The no. 4 cylinder top spark plug electrode was absent. The remaining top spark plug electrodes showed wear and coloration consistent with normal engine operation.

The oil filter was impact separated from the engine but remained attached to the accessory housing via safety wire and had minor carbon debris was visible within the pleats when examined. The engine would not rotate as a result of impact damage and impacted organic material. All six cylinders had dirt and organic matter pressed between the cooling fins. The intake pipes for all six cylinders were impact separated. The exhaust stacks were impact damaged and impact separated. Cylinders 5 and 6 had impact damage to the cylinder heads and were missing rocker box covers.

The propeller and crankshaft flange were separated from the engine and found adjacent to the impact crater. The three-bladed metal propeller displayed “S” bending and rotational scoring consistent with high rpm settings. One propeller blade was missing the blade tip. The spinner dome was missing from the propeller.

The airplane was equipped with a Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) that was found partially deployed consistent with impact during the accident sequence. The parachute remained packed in its bag, but the parachute cables were extended. The ballistic rocket was found at the furthest end of the debris field, 330 ft from the initial tree impact. The CAPS handle within the cockpit was in the stowed position. The ground safety pin was not installed in the handle.

The wreckage was retained for additional examination.

Beechcraft C90A King Air, N291CC, fatal accident occurred on October 12, 2025, near Hicks Airfield (T67), Fort Worth, Texas

• Location: Fort Worth, TX 
• Accident Number: ERA26FA010 
• Date & Time: October 12, 2025, 13:34 Local 
• Registration: N291CC 
• Aircraft: Beech C90 
• Injuries: 2 Fatal 
• Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N291CC

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201835/pdf

On October 12, 2025, about 1334 central daylight time, a Beech C90, N291CC, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Fort Worth, Texas. The private pilot and pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14?Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) information, the airplane took off from Perot Field/Fort Worth Alliance Airport (AFW), Fort Worth, Texas, at 1203, proceeded in a  northwesterly direction and performed several approaches to the Bowie Municipal Airport (0F2), Bowie, Texas. The airplane then flew in a southerly direction, performed one 360° right turn about 13 nautical miles south-southwest of 0F2, then flew south again. The airplane continued in a southerly direction until about 1325, when it turned left to a southeasterly direction and remained on that heading until about 1333. About that time, when the flight was about 3.8 nautical miles northwest of Hicks Airfield (T67), Fort Worth, Texas, the airplane turned right and began flying in a south southeasterly direction toward T67.

A pilot who was based at T67 and flying at the time of the accident, reported a radio transmission on the T67 common traffic advisory frequency, which was consistent with the accident airplane, on a 5-mile final approach to T67. She did not hear any further transmissions from the accident airplane, which continued the south-southeasterly heading toward T67. At 1333:34, when the flight was about 1.3 nautical miles northwest from the approach end of runway 14 at T67, the airplane turned left and began flying in a northerly direction.

A video camera located about .25 nautical mile south of the accident site recorded the airplane flying low, above powerlines while in a slight left bank with the landing gear extended. The airplane continued on the northerly direction and began descending. The left bank angle increased and exceeded 90° before the airplane went out of view behind trees/bushes. ADS-B data showed that the airplane flew over a commercial building immediately adjacent to the accident site where several videos depicted the airplane impacting the ground while inverted and in a left wing low attitude. The airplane then impacted numerous parked, unoccupied commercial vehicles with an immediate explosion and extensive postcrash fire which consumed nearly the entire airplane.

The remains of the wreckage, which included both engines and propellers, were recovered and retained for further examination.

Van's RV-3A, N16MR, accident occurred on September 27, 2025, near Torrington Municipal Airport (TOR/KTOR), Torrington, Wyoming

• Location: Torrington, WY
• Accident Number: WPR25LA299 
• Date & Time: September 27, 2025, 16:00 Local 
• Registration: N16MR 
• Aircraft: Vans RV3-A 
• Injuries: 1 Serious 
• Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201761/pdf

https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N16MR

On September 27, 2025, about 1600 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Vans RV-3A, N16MR, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Torrington, Wyoming. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to the airport manager, the pilot departed runway 10 and during the initial climb, the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to return to the runway, however, was unable to make it and initiated a forced landing to an open field about 1/2 mile north of the runway. During the landing roll, the airplane struck a berm and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder.

The airplane was recovered to a secure location for further examination.