NTSB Issues Urgent Learjet Landing Gear Warning

Agency recommends immediate checks for 10 models following a deadly runway excursion in Arizona and prior incidents.

Meg Godlewski

Thursday, October 30, 2025 at 09:32 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A 1991 Learjet 35A [Credit: FLYING Archive]

Key Takeaways:

The NTSB issued an urgent recommendation for owners and operators of specific Bombardier Learjet models to inspect their landing gear after a fatal runway excursion in Scottsdale, Arizona, where the left main landing gear separated.
The preliminary investigation revealed the landing gear retaining bolt was not correctly engaged through the aft trunnion pin, an issue difficult to detect during routine checks and linked to three prior incidents since 1995.
The NTSB recommends the FAA require operators of approximately 1,883 Learjets to comply with service bulletins for a mandatory landing gear check and for Bombardier to revise maintenance procedures to include a post-maintenance visual verification of the landing gear pin and bolt.

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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued an urgent recommendation for the owners and operators of certain Bombardier Learjets to check the security of the landing gear stemming from the preliminary investigation into the fatal runway excursion at Arizona’s Scottsdale Airport (KSDL) in February.

At this time the NTSB investigation into the incident involving a Learjet 35A and a Gulfstream G200 jet is ongoing. However, the agency does not need to wait until the end of its probe to issue recommendations in the name of safety. Recipients have 30 days to respond.