Learjet · Business jet
Learjet 31/35/36
Is the Learjet 31/35/36 safe? It ranks Shared rankWithin 1 point of other aircraft types: the difference is not meaningful.More in the glossary of 18 private and business aircraft families we rate, with 12 fatal accidents counted in about 1.6 million flights since 2008.
Medium confidenceIn serviceUpdated 5 November 2026
Spot a mistake?
Learjet 31/35/36 safety score: 48 out of 100, grade D (Weak)
Likely range 41 to 56
1 in 170,000chance of dying on a flight5.99 deaths per million boardings
How the score is built
- Fatal accidents
- 12 in 1.6 million flights
7.5 fatal accidents per million flights. Counted: all civil flights (private, charter, corporate, cargo, training and other), accidents and unexplained losses; not counted: military, test and illegal flights, sabotage, hijackings, shoot-downs and deliberate crew acts.
- Full-loss equivalents
- 11
Each counted accident adds the share of people on board who died (1 = no survivors). This is what the score is based on.
- Flights flown
- 1.6 million
Estimated flights of all kinds. Flights of all kinds (private, charter, corporate, cargo, training and other civil use) 2008 to 3 November 2026: OpenSky 2022 flights of the type under any call sign (US military aircraft left out), re-weighted to World Bank departures country by country, carried to other years by the type's flights counted each year by FAA traffic flow management (TFMSC). Flights before 2008 are not used, like the accidents. About 132 flights per aircraft per year (fleet with a median service life of about 35 years). Uncertainty roughly ±30%.
- Technology generation
- Classic business jet (type first flew before 1990)
Small fleets are pulled toward the record of the other types of their generation: 1.8 full-loss equivalents per million flights over 12.2 million flights. Weight of this family's own record: 82%.
- Likely range
- 41 to 56
The score is 90% likely to lie in this range, given how few accidents a type has and the error in the estimate of its flights.
- Last fatal accident
- 10 February 2025
Chromed in Hollywood Inc, Scottsdale Airport (SDL/KSDL), Scottsdale, AZ, United States of America: 1 of 4 people on board died.
- Hull losses
- 95
Civil aircraft destroyed or written off from all causes, including non-fatal accidents, cargo flights and attacks; airframes flown by air forces on military operations are left out. ASN gives no fate for some damaged aircraft, so this can be a little low (context only, not in the score).
Compared with everyday risks
One flight on the Learjet 31/35/36 carries about the same risk of death as the activities near it below.
- An hour's walk1 in 14 million
- Driving 100 miles (160 km)1 in 5.9 million
- An ordinary day: accidents and violence1 in 1 million
- A day of skiing1 in 830,000
- A scuba dive1 in 500,000
- Cycling 100 miles (160 km)1 in 430,000
- Running a marathon1 in 290,000
- A skydive1 in 250,000
- One flight on the Learjet 31/35/36This aircraft1 in 170,000
- A general anaesthetic1 in 100,000
- Riding a motorbike 100 miles (160 km)1 in 83,000
Accident history
12 fatal accidents since 2008 count toward the score, with 41 people on board killed.
| Date | Flight | Killed | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chromed in Hollywood IncLearjet 35A · Scottsdale Airport (SDL/KSDL), Scottsdale, AZ, United States of America | 1 killed / 4 on board | Landing at Scottsdale on a corporate flight from Austin, the Learjet touched down with its left main gear trailing loose; it veered off the runway and hit a parked Gulfstream. The captain died. The gear's aft trunnion pin was found disengaged; no final cause has been published.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: System failureASN record | |
| PrivateLearjet 35 · near Matupá Airport, MT (MBK/SWXM), Brazil | 2 killed / 2 on board | The Learjet crashed into a eucalyptus forest near Matupá during a go-around at the end of a local flight, broke up and burned; both on board died. It had been struck off the Brazilian register in 2023. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeASN record | |
| Jet Rescue Air AmbulanceLearjet 35A · Cuernavaca Airport (CVJ/MMCB), Mexico | 4 killed / 4 on board | On an air ambulance flight from Toluca, the Learjet reportedly touched down long on runway 20 at Cuernavaca, overran the end and went down an embankment. Both pilots and both passengers died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Runway excursionASN record | |
| GFD AviationLearjet 35A · Hohn Air Base (ETNH), Germany | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a proficiency check from Hohn air base, one engine was throttled back just after takeoff to simulate a failure. Too little rudder came too late; the Learjet yawed, stalled, snap-rolled and crashed, killing both pilots. Why the rudder input fell short was not established.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Flying America SALearjet 35A · Río Grande-Gobernador Ramón Trejo Noel International Airport, TF (RGA), Argentina | 4 killed / 4 on board | Taking off from Río Grande to return to base after a medical flight, the Learjet rolled left and descended into the ground; both pilots and two medical staff died. The aileron interconnect cable tensioner was found unscrewed. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Aeromedevac Air AmbulanceLearjet 35A · El Cajon, San Diego, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | Returning to base at night after a patient transfer, the crew went far below the minimum altitude on a GPS approach to Gillespie Field, cancelled IFR and tried an unauthorised circle to runway 27R in poor visibility. The Learjet stalled in the turn and crashed; all four died.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| MD FlyLearjet 35A · near Esquel Airport, CB (EQS), Argentina | 3 killed / 4 on board | Approaching Esquel at night in fog on an ambulance flight, the Learjet hit the ground beside runway 23; three of the four on board died, the co-pilot two days later. Both altimeters were set 6 hPa off the local pressure. Only a preliminary report has been published.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeASN record | |
| A&C Big Sky Aviation LLC, opb Trans-Pacific JetsLearjet 35A · 1 km S of Teterboro Airport, NJ (TEB/KTEB), United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a positioning flight to Teterboro an unapproved co-pilot flew under constant coaching; there was no briefing and the approach was flown far too high. The captain took over and tried to save the circle to runway 1 at low speed; the Learjet stalled and crashed. Both died.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Grupo Constructor PlataLearjet 31A · ca 4 km W of Apaseo el Alto, Mexico | 4 killed / 4 on board | Climbing to FL380 from Zacatecas, the crew reported turbulence; after FL360 the Learjet 31A entered a high-speed dive and hit a field near Apaseo el Alto, killing all four. Investigators suspected the stabiliser trim but could not establish the cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Diplomat Aviation (Bahamas) LtdLearjet 35A · 6,4 km SW of Freeport-Grand Bahama International Airport (FPO), Bahamas | 9 killed / 9 on board | After a missed approach in heavy rain at Freeport, the crew flew a second ILS approach and chose to descend below the minimum altitude to look for the runway, ignoring and then silencing terrain warnings. The right wing hit a shipyard crane and all nine on board died.Type: Flight into terrainASN record | |
| Aero J.L.Learjet 35A · 5 km NE off Fort Lauderdale International Airport, FL (FLL), United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | Repositioning to Cozumel after an ambulance flight, the Learjet's left thrust reverser opened in flight after takeoff from Fort Lauderdale. With no checklists used and the fault never identified, the crew drifted away from the airport and descended into the sea. All four died.Type: Engine failureASN record | |
| Royal Air Freight RAX988Learjet 35A · ca 2,5 km S of Chicago-Executive Airport, IL (PWK), United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Positioning to Chicago Executive to collect cargo after flying through moderate icing, the crew circled to runway 34; on base leg the speed decayed during roll control trouble and the Learjet hit the ground. Both died. The NTSB found a loss of control for undetermined reasons.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record |
Listed but not counted
These events happened before 2008 (the score covers 2008 onward, the period its flight count covers), on military, test or illegal flights, or were caused by a crime or a deliberate act, which says little about the aircraft design.
| Date | Flight | Killed | Why not counted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix AirLearjet 36A · 1,7 km SW off San Clemente Island, CA, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Military operation. During a US Navy training exercise off San Clemente Island, fire broke out in the Learjet's tail cone, probably fed by a fuel line whose fitting had worked loose. The crew lost control while heading for the island's airfield and crashed into the sea; all three died.Type: FireASN record | |
| Eletric Power ConstruçãoLearjet 35A · Belo Horizonte/Pampulha, Carlos Drummond de Andrade Airport, MG (PLU), Brazil | 1 killed / 3 on board | Test flight. On a test and training flight at Belo Horizonte Pampulha, the Learjet touched down with its gear up during a touch-and-go, slid off the end of runway 13, through the perimeter fence, and broke in two. One pilot died; the other two on board were hurt.Type: Hard landing or abnormal runway contactASN record | |
| GFD Gesellschaft für FlugzieldarstellungLearjet 35A · near Olsberg-Elpe, Germany | 2 killed / 2 on board | Military operation. Playing a hijacked aircraft in a German Air Force interception exercise, the Learjet crew followed a Eurofighter into a left turn at 46 degrees of bank after losing sight of it, and the two collided. The Learjet fell out of control and both crew died; the Eurofighter landed.Type: Mid-air collisionASN record | |
| Reali Táxi AéreoLearjet 35A · 0,8 km N of São Paulo-Campo de Marte Airport, SP, Brazil | 2 killed / 2 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. While a trainee co-pilot readied the cockpit unsupervised at Campo de Marte, fuel was moved into one wing unnoticed. After takeoff for Rio the Learjet pitched up steeply, rolled right, then left, and dived into houses; both pilots died. Checklists were not read.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Royal Thai Air Force - RTAFLearjet 35A · Nakhon Sawan/Takhli Air Base (TKH), Thailand | 7 killed / 7 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. Shortly after takeoff from Takhli Air Base on a photo survey flight, the Royal Thai Air Force Learjet appears to have gone out of control; it crashed, broke up and burned, killing all seven on board.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| International Jet Charter, lsf Robertson Asset ManagementLearjet 35A · off New London-Groton Airport, CT (GON), United States of America | 2 killed / 5 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. On a foggy ILS approach to Groton over water, the captain saw the approach lights, cut power to idle and went below decision height without enough visual cues; the Learjet hit the water and light stanchions. Both pilots died; the three passengers survived.Type: Flight into terrainASN record | |
| Fuerza Aérea Argentina - FAALearjet 35A · 10 km from La Paz-El Alto Airport (LPB), Bolivia | 6 killed / 6 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. After delivering humanitarian aid, the Argentine Air Force Learjet struck terrain and broke up shortly after takeoff from La Paz El Alto, killing all six on board. No cause is given in the record.Type: Unknown causeASN record | |
| Skyward AviationLearjet 35A · 0,5 km E of Truckee Airport, CA (TKF), United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. Positioning to Truckee to collect passengers, the Learjet steepened to nearly 90 degrees of left bank while turning onto final; the nose dropped and it hit rising ground short of runway 28. Both died. The NTSB cited a gusty crosswind and too little airspeed in a low steep turn.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Med Flight Air AmbulanceLearjet 35A · 13 km E of San Diego-Brown Field Municipal Airport, CA (SDM), United States of America | 5 killed / 5 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. Leaving San Diego Brown Field at night after dropping off a patient, the Learjet was told to fly visually until cleared for IFR; it entered cloud and hit Otay Mountain at 2,300 ft, killing all five. The NTSB also blamed the controller's clearance and unrelayed terrain alerts.Type: Flight into terrainASN record | |
| Air East ManagementLearjet 35A · Groton, CT, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. After cancelling IFR near Groton the crew flew a low, tight circuit under low cloud. Banking close to 90 degrees onto final, the first officer accidentally raised the flaps; the Learjet stalled and ploughed through houses into a river. Both pilots died.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Japan Maritime Self Defence Force - JMSDFLearjet U-36A · Iwakuni MCAS, Japan | 4 killed / 4 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. During touch-and-go practice at Iwakuni after a training sortie, the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force U-36A went out of control, crashed beside runway 02 and burned; all four crew died.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| United States Air Force - USAFLearjet C-21A (Learjet 35A) · Rapid City-Ellsworth AFB, SD (RCA), United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. Flying circuits at Ellsworth, the US Air Force C-21A crew let an unmonitored fuel transfer load up the left wing. On a simulated single-engine approach it veered left in the flare, climbed in a steepening left turn, rolled past 90 degrees and crashed; both died.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| E.A.S. AeroserviziLearjet 35A · 0,2 km from Nürnberg Airport (NUE), Germany | 3 killed / 3 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. Three minutes after leaving Nuremberg the left engine failed: wrong records had let a turbine disk run far past its cycle limit. The crew mishandled the single-engine return; speed decayed on short final and the Learjet stalled, rolled inverted and hit trees. All three died.Type: Engine failureASN record | |
| Northern Executive AviationLearjet 35A · Lyon Satolas Airport (LYS), France | 2 killed / 5 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. An engine was shut down at FL390 on a charter from Farnborough to Nice and the crew diverted to Lyon. At the end of an unstabilised ILS approach the captain added power on the other engine without holding the yaw; it rolled left, hit the ground and burned. Two of five died.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| BankairLearjet 35A · Marianna Municipal Airport, FL, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. On a check ride from Opa-locka, the Learjet pitched up and dropped its right wing on final to runway 36 at Marianna, then hit trees and wires, caught fire and crashed onto a road; all three died. The NTSB cited loss of control after a poorly planned, misaligned approach.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Sunjet AviationLearjet 35A · 20 km W of Aberdeen, SD, United States of America | 6 killed / 6 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. Soon after leaving Orlando for Dallas the Learjet stopped answering ATC. It flew on with frosted windows, shadowed by military jets, until it spiralled into a field in South Dakota; all six died, including golfer Payne Stewart. The crew were overcome after a cabin pressure loss.Type: System failureASN record | |
| Avioriprese Jet ExecutiveLearjet 35A · Golfo di Genova, Italy | 3 killed / 3 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. The Learjet crashed into the Gulf of Genoa while approaching Genoa from Naples in low cloud and heavy rain, killing all three on board. No cause is given in the record.Type: Unknown causeASN record | |
| Corporate JetsLearjet 35A · 25 km S of Adwa, Ethiopia | 2 killed / 2 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. On a ferry flight from Luxor to Nairobi the Learjet strayed into an Ethiopian no-fly zone near the Eritrean border. Ethiopian forces took it for an Eritrean fighter and shot it down with a missile; both crew died.Type: SecurityASN record | |
| Singapore AirlinesLearjet 31 · 48 km S of Ranong, Thailand | 2 killed / 2 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. On a short training flight from Phuket, the instructor and trainee left the approach briefing until en route. The instructor misread the Ranong DME distance, the trainee descended below the minimum sector altitude in poor weather and the Learjet hit high ground. Both died.Type: Flight into terrainASN record | |
| Aircraft Charter Group IncLearjet 35A · 9 km NW of Dorchester, NH, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. On a positioning flight to Lebanon, New Hampshire, the crew lost track of their position on a VOR approach, misread a step-down fix and descended early into rising terrain; both died. The NTSB cited a rushed briefing and unaccounted winds. The wreck was found in 1999.Type: Flight into terrainASN record | |
| Chrysler AviationLearjet 36A · 0,5 km S of Stephenville Airport, NL (YJT), Canada | 2 killed / 2 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. At night in drifting snow, after a tailwind ILS approach to Stephenville, the Learjet drifted left unnoticed and touched down beside the runway. The pilot lost control of its attitude in the go-around and it crashed inverted; both crew died.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Aéreo Reservaciones EjecutivasLearjet 35A · 8,3 km S of Tepic Airport (TPQ), Mexico | 2 killed / 6 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. After two returns to Ciudad Obregón and several diversions, the crew tried to land at night at Tepic, which was closed, went below the published minimum altitude and hit terrain 8 km short. Both pilots died; the four passengers survived.Type: Flight into terrainASN record | |
| United States Air Force - USAFLearjet C-21A (Learjet 35A) · 6,5 km E of Alexander City Airport, AL, United States of America | 8 killed / 8 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. A faulty fuel pump caused a growing fuel imbalance on the US Air Force C-21A. With no checklist for it, the crew diverted to Alexander City, let speed decay on a poorly placed approach, and opposing rudder inputs rolled it inverted into trees. All eight died.Type: System failureASN record | |
| Canada Jet ChartersLearjet 35 · 15 km NW off Masset Airport, BC (ZMT), Canada | 5 killed / 5 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. On a medevac flight from Vancouver, the crew most likely flew the instrument approach to Masset with a mis-set altimeter and flew into the sea without knowing it; all five died. Why the setting was wrong and why nobody noticed was not determined.Type: Flight into terrainASN record | |
| Phoenix AirLearjet 35A · Fresno, CA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. Wiring badly installed for special-mission equipment started a fire in flight that damaged systems and structure. The Learjet became hard to control and crashed on a street while approaching Fresno, killing both crew. The NTSB also cited poor maintenance and oversight.Type: FireASN record | |
| Air CharterLearjet 35A · Moskva-Sheremetyevo Airport (SVO), Russia | 1 killed / 7 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. Just after takeoff from Moscow Sheremetyevo on a charter to Magnitogorsk, the Learjet stalled at about 10 m, banked left, hit the ground and slid off the runway onto a taxiway. One of the three crew died; the other six on board survived.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Golden Eagle AviationLearjet 35A · off Taitung, Taiwan | 4 killed / 4 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. The Golden Eagle Aviation Learjet, on a flight listed as military, crashed into the sea off Taitung, Taiwan, killing all four on board. No account of the accident is given in the record.Type: Unknown causeASN record | |
| Aero-DienstLearjet 35A · Köln/Bonn Airport (CGN), Germany | 4 killed / 4 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. On a check flight from Cologne/Bonn the left engine lost power near V2, probably cut on purpose for practice. The Learjet rolled left, touched the ground, lifted off again, rolled inverted and crashed; all four died. No fault was found and the cause was not determined.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Aero-FlyLearjet 35A · 12 km NE of Hermosillo Airport (HMO), Mexico | 9 killed / 9 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. In low visibility and light rain, the Learjet went below the published 2,800 ft on the instrument arrival to Hermosillo and hit the rocky slope of El Bachoco hill at 1,800 ft. All nine on board died.Type: Flight into terrainASN record | |
| Transamérica Táxi AéreoLearjet 35A · Cumuatillo Airstrip, Mexico | 2 killed / 2 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. Reportedly carrying drugs from Cali, Colombia, the Learjet tried to land at the Cumuatillo airstrip in Mexico, touched down beside the runway, crossed it and broke up in rough scrub. Both on board died.Type: Runway excursionASN record | |
| Japan Maritime Self Defence Force - JMSDFLearjet U-36A · off Shikoku Island, Japan | 5 killed / 5 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force U-36A crashed into the sea off Shikoku while manoeuvring, killing all five on board. No account of the accident is given in the record.Type: Unknown causeASN record | |
| Richmor AviationLearjet 35A · 1,6 km N of Aspen Airport, CO (ASE), United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. Circling to land on runway 15 at Aspen, the crew overshot the centreline in a steep right bank and tightened the turn; the Learjet stalled and crashed, killing all three on board. The NTSB cited loss of airspeed and control on an unstabilised approach.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Northeast JetLearjet 35A · Morristown Municipal Airport, NJ (MMU), United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. On an erratic NDB approach to Morristown flown by the co-pilot, the Learjet hit a fence short of runway 05 and crashed; one of the two pilots died. The co-pilot's training records showed trouble with aircraft control and instrument flying.Type: Landed short or longASN record | |
| JetcorpLearjet 35A · West Paterson, NJ, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. On a short night positioning flight from Teterboro, with two unauthorised passengers on board, the Learjet levelled at 1,900 ft, then rolled inverted and dived into the ground; all four died. The NTSB cited a manoeuvre flown with poor judgement.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Phoenix AirLearjet 36A · 16 km SW of Monroe Municipal Airport, LA (MLU), United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. On an ILS approach to Monroe the cargo Learjet descended too fast and hit the ground at high speed 16 km short of the airport, killing both pilots. The NTSB cited the captain's inattention and failure to level off; the co-pilot was not rated on the type.Type: Flight into terrainASN record | |
| Corporate JetsLearjet 35A · West Mifflin, PA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. On a proficiency check with a simulated engine failure at takeoff, the Learjet climbed only about 50 ft, pitched up, banked steeply and crashed into woods, killing both pilots. The NTSB found the co-pilot raised the flaps too early and let it stall.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| United States Air Force - USAFLearjet C-21A (Learjet 35A) · Montgomery-Maxwell AFB, AL (MXF), United States of America | 2 killed / 3 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. The US Air Force C-21A crashed during takeoff from Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, killing two of the three on board. No account of the accident is given in the record.Type: Unknown causeASN record | |
| Flight InternationalLearjet 35 · 43,5 km SE of San Clemente Island, CA, USA, Pacific Ocean | 2 killed / 2 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. Two Flight International Learjets collided in mid-air over the Pacific south-east of San Clemente Island while simulating attacks on surface ships in a US Navy exercise; both crew of this aircraft died.Type: Mid-air collisionASN record | |
| General Telephone Co.Learjet 35A · College Station-Easterwood Field, TX (CLL), United States of America | 2 killed / 3 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. During a night takeoff from College Station the right engine's forward fan broke up from fatigue. The Learjet rolled right and crashed in flames, killing two of the three on board. The NTSB also cited weak manufacturer standards.Type: Engine failureASN record | |
| Corporate Air IncLearjet 35A · Rochester, MN, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. On a training flight the Learjet rolled inverted and crashed after a missed approach at Rochester, while setting up for another try; all three died. The NTSB blamed the instructor for not correcting the roll and cited overconfidence and the student's lack of recent experience.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Louisiana Pacific Corp.Learjet 35A · Auburn, AL, United States of America | 1 killed / 7 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. On approach to Auburn the Learjet collided at about 50 ft with an ultralight, also approaching, over the intersection of runways 10 and 18. One of the seven on the Learjet died. The NTSB found that neither pilot kept an adequate lookout.Type: Mid-air collisionASN record | |
| Jet EastLearjet 35 · Waco Municipal Airport, TX (ACT), United States of America | 1 killed / 3 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. On a type rating check ride at Waco, the pilot lost directional control after a simulated engine failure just past V1 and the Learjet crashed; one of the three on board died. The NTSB cited over-rotation and procedures not followed.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Gobierno de Tierra del FuegoLearjet 35A · 9 km E off Ushuaia Airport, TF (USH), Argentina | 12 killed / 12 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. In a snowstorm, the pilot of the provincial government Learjet left the instrument procedure for a visual approach to Ushuaia, was misled by an optical illusion, descended below the minimum safe altitude and hit the water. All 12 on board died.Type: Flight into terrainASN record | |
| Upali AirLearjet 35A · ca 20 km W off Kuala Selangor, Straits of Malacca, Malaysia | 6 killed / 6 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. The corporate Learjet carrying Sri Lankan businessman Upali Wijewardene vanished over the Straits of Malacca about 15 minutes after leaving Kuala Lumpur for Colombo, while climbing to FL390. Only a survival pack was found; the cause is not known.Type: Unknown causeASN record | |
| Fuerza Aérea Argentina - FAALearjet 35A · off Pebble Island (Isla Borbón), Falkland Islands | 5 killed / 5 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. During the 1982 Falklands War the Argentine Air Force Learjet was flying a photo reconnaissance mission at FL400 when a Sea Dart missile fired by HMS Exeter hit it. It fell in flames and all five crew died.Type: SecurityASN record | |
| SpantaxLearjet 35A · ca 8 km N of Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI), Spain | 4 killed / 4 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. The Spantax Learjet crashed about 8 km north of Palma de Mallorca airport while approaching from Madrid, killing all four on board. No cause is given in the record.Type: Unknown causeASN record | |
| Ferruzzi SpaLearjet 36A · 2 km NW of Forli Airport (FRL), Italy | 3 killed / 3 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. In 300 m visibility, with the ILS glideslope out of service, the Learjet flew too low on final to Forli, hit a TV antenna on a hill 2.3 km short of the runway and crashed into a house. All three on board and two people on the ground died.Type: Flight into terrainASN record | |
| Bahri AviationLearjet 35 · 100 km S of Katab, Egypt | 5 killed / 5 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. The Learjet crashed in Egypt, about 100 km south of Katab, while flying from Athens to Jeddah; all five on board died. No cause is given in the record.Type: Unknown causeASN record | |
| Maniglia ConstruzioniLearjet 35A · off Palermo-Punta Raisi Airport (PMO), Italy | 3 killed / 3 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. The company Learjet crashed into the sea while approaching Palermo on a flight from Rome Ciampino, killing all three on board. No cause is given in the record.Type: Unknown causeASN record | |
| Arab WingsLearjet 36A · Amman-Marka International Airport (ADJ), Jordan | 4 killed / 4 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. Just after takeoff from Amman for Beirut the left wing dropped; the Learjet rolled right and hit the ground inverted beside a taxiway, killing all four on board. Investigators judged a fuel imbalance the most likely cause but could not prove it.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record | |
| Arab WingsLearjet 35 · Riyadh International Airport (RUH), Saudi Arabia | 2 killed / 2 on board | Before 2008, outside the period the score covers. With the left engine's starter faulty, the crew began a takeoff from Riyadh on one engine, planning to start the other in the air. Directional control was lost at rotation speed and the Learjet crashed, killing both pilots.Type: Loss of control in flightASN record |
The Learjet 35 is an old, fast, twin-engine business jet that now earns its living in hard jobs: air ambulance, night cargo, ferry and training flights, and low-cost charter. It has one of the weakest records of the business aircraft we rate. Look at the flight purpose before you judge the aircraft.
What is the Learjet 35, and who flies it?
The Learjet 35 flew in 1973 and entered service in 1974. The family includes the 35A, the 36A (more fuel, fewer seats), the Learjet 31 and the military C-21A. About 980 were built and about 360 were seen flying in 2022. Seats: usually six.
Small operators use the type widely. Many sit in air ambulance fleets, on freight work, in target-towing roles and in pilot training.
What is the fatal record, by flight purpose?
Up to 3 November 2026 our data lists 63 fatal events. The score counts only accidents and flights from 1 January 2008 on: 12 events in about 1.6 million flights. Seven of the 12 have no established cause. By purpose:
| Purpose | Counted events |
|---|---|
| Other (private, corporate, ambulance) | 6 |
| Ferry or positioning | 4 |
| Passenger or charter | 1 |
| Training | 1 |
Since 2008, three more fatal events are left out: two military exercises (a mid-air collision with a Eurofighter over Germany in 2014 and a fire off San Clemente Island, California, in 2023) and one test flight at Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in 2021. The other 48 events, from 1977 to 2007, are listed as history but do not count. They include ten military losses, among them three US Air Force C-21A and two Japanese navy U-36A crashes; flights of US military airframes such as the C-21A are not in our flight count either. See the aircraft methodology.
With 12 counted events our confidence is medium. The type's own record carries most of the weight in its score; the rest comes from business jets that first flew before 1990.
How many were ambulance flights?
At least five counted events are tied to patient transport, between 2013 and 2023. Three sit under "other": 5 May 2020, MD Fly, near Esquel, Argentina (3 dead, altimeters set 6 hPa off the local pressure; preliminary report only); 1 November 2023, Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, Cuernavaca, Mexico (4 dead); and 1 July 2022, Flying America, Río Grande, Argentina (4 dead, on the return after a medical flight). Two sit under "ferry" because the aircraft was repositioning after a patient leg: 27 December 2021, Aeromedevac Air Ambulance, El Cajon, California (4 dead), and 19 November 2013, Aero J.L., off Fort Lauderdale (4 dead). Two older ambulance crashes do not count because they came before 2008: 11 January 1995, Canada Jet Charters, Masset, Canada (5 dead), and 24 October 2004, Med Flight Air Ambulance, near San Diego (5 dead).
So five of the 12 counted events come from ambulance work. Several happened at night or in poor visibility on approach to a small airport, such as Esquel, Argentina in 2020.
What about passenger, ferry and training flights?
Since 2008 one passenger flight counts: 9 November 2014, Diplomat Aviation, near Freeport, Bahamas, where all nine died after the crew descended below the minimum altitude in rain. The four ferry events are short positioning legs, two of them after a patient flight. The one counted training event was a practised engine failure just after take-off: 15 May 2023, GFD Aviation, at Hohn Air Base in Germany (2 dead).
What does this mean for you?
The records point mostly to the kind of flying: night and low-visibility approaches, practised engine failures near take-off and positioning legs. Investigators also cited maintenance and procedure lapses in some events. The aircraft is also over 40 years old in many cases. Per flight, the record is weaker than that of the Hawker 800, the Beechjet 400 or the newer Learjet 45.
Before you book a charter or an ambulance:
- Ask for the air operator certificate and check it with the authority.
- Ask for an independent audit rating and for two qualified pilots.
- Ask when the aircraft was last inspected.
The ICAO codes are LJ31, LJ35 and LJ36.
Questions people ask
Is the Learjet 35 safe?
It has one of the weakest records of the business aircraft we rank: it shares its rank with the Learjet 55, just behind the King Air 200, and only the TBM and the King Air 90 rank lower. From 2008 to 3 November 2026 our data counts 12 fatal events in about 1.6 million flights. Many were ambulance and positioning flights flown by small operators, and the type is more than 40 years old. Operator quality matters more than the type.
Are Learjet air ambulances safe?
An air ambulance flight often goes at night, in any weather, to small airports, so the exposure can be higher than on a typical charter. Five counted Learjet 35 events are linked to ambulance or medevac flights, from 2013 to 2023; two more, in 1995 and 2004, came before 2008 and do not count. Ask the medical provider for the operator's air operator certificate and audit status.
What is the difference between the Learjet 31, 35 and 36?
The 35 and 36 are the classic 1970s models; the 36 carries extra fuel instead of cabin space. The Learjet 31 first flew in 1987 and pairs the 35's fuselage and engines with the wing of the larger Learjet 55. We treat them as one family. Flight trackers show LJ31, LJ35 or LJ36. The US Air Force flies the type as the C-21A.
Is the Learjet 35 still flying?
Yes. About 360 were seen flying in 2022. Many fly as ambulances, cargo feeders, target-towing and training aircraft, or on charter.
Sources
- 1.ASN record: Jet Rescue Air Ambulance Learjet 35A, Cuernavaca, Mexico, 1 November 2023 (opens in a new tab) · Aviation Safety Network
- 2.ASN record: MD Fly Learjet 35A, near Esquel, Argentina, 5 May 2020 (opens in a new tab) · Aviation Safety Network
- 3.ASN record: Aeromedevac Air Ambulance Learjet, El Cajon, California, 27 December 2021 (opens in a new tab) · Aviation Safety Network
- 4.ASN record: Diplomat Aviation Learjet, near Freeport, Bahamas, 9 November 2014 (opens in a new tab) · Aviation Safety Network
- 5.ASN record: GFD Aviation Learjet, Hohn Air Base, Germany, 15 May 2023 (opens in a new tab) · Aviation Safety Network
- 6.SafetyScorer exposure model: OpenSky Network flights 2022 (all operators), World Bank departures, FAA TFMSC (opens in a new tab)Flights of all kinds (private, charter, corporate, cargo, training and other civil use) 2008 to 3 November 2026: OpenSky 2022 flights of the type under any call sign (US military aircraft left out), re-weighted to World Bank departures country by country, carried to other years by the type's flights counted each year by FAA traffic flow management (TFMSC). Flights before 2008 are not used, like the accidents. About 132 flights per aircraft per year (fleet with a median service life of about 35 years). Uncertainty roughly ±30%.
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