ERA23LA126 · Gates Learjet Corp 55

Neither pilot reported identifying any mechanical issues with the airplane before the flight. The flight was uneventful and both pilots described the landing as being firm, with the copilot stating the landing was in the touchdown zone on the runway. The pilot reported that after landing he knew something was wrong because the left wing was low. The pilots taxied the airplane to the ramp where they discovered fuel leaking from the left wing. A review of airport surveillance video revealed that the airplane touched down around the displaced threshold, bounced, and touched down again. Examination of the runway revealed skid marks beginning in the displaced threshold about 110 ft before the landing surface of the runway. Fractured airplane parts were scattered over and beyond the ground scars and tire markings. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed it sustained structural and skin damage to the left wing, the landing gear strut, and both left main wheels. One passenger said that she heard altitudes called out during the landing approach, and just before touchdown, she heard a crewmember announce, “too fast, too fast!” She stated the airplane contacted the runway so hard the oxygen masks deployed and compartments inside the airplane opened. The airplane bounced, and the second landing was bumpy. She also stated that fuel was leaking from the airplane when they were deplaned. Although the pilots’ subsequent statements indicated that they observed that the airplane’s left wing was “lower” during takeoff on the accident flight, surveillance video of the airplane from the departure airport did not indicate any anomalies. Given the available evidence, it is likely that the pilots failed to attain a proper landing flare and touchdown point, which resulted in a hard landing short of the runway.

Verbatim NTSB analysis and probable cause from the NTSB dataset