# Accident 19991219047269A: Piper PA30, Morristown, NJ, December 19, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: December 19, 1999, 13:58 local time - Place: Morristown, NJ - Airport: Morristown Municipal Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 40.7993° N, 74.4149° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at MORRISTOWN MUNI (MMU), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7993&lon=-74.4149&mi=10 - Aircraft: N7397Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7397Y-2013-07-11) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-30 (registry code 7103002, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming IO-320 series (registry code 41509, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA30 - Reported engine: LYC IO320B1A - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 2,078 total, 702 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC00LA055](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA055) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991219047269A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.4) WHILE TAKING OFF, THE PILOT ROTATED THE AIRPLANE AT A SPEED BELOW VMC. AS THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO CLIMB, THE PILOT AND PASSENGER, WHO WAS A CERTIFICATED MULTI-ENGINE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, OBSERVED THE STALL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATE, AND THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE TO ATTAIN VYSE. THE RIGHT ENGINE THEN BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER TO THE LEFT ENGINE, ALONG WITH LEFT RUDDER AND THE PASSENGER RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR. THE AIRPLANE BANKED TO THE RIGHT AND DESCENDED TO THE GROUND. THE PILOT ADDITIONALLY STATED, 'THE AIRPLANE JUST DID NOT GET ENOUGH SPEED UP,' AND SUSPECTED THAT THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS FROM WATER IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. PRIOR TO FLIGHT THE PILOT AND PASSENGER OBSERVED 'A LITTLE BIT' OF WATER ON THE ASPHALT, WHICH CAME FROM THE RIGHT SIDE FUEL DRAIN WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTED. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, A FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AREA WHERE THE AIRPLANE WAS PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTED AND DID NOT OBSERVE ANY FUEL STAINS ON THE ASPHALT. THE AIRPLANE WAS LAST FLOWN 30 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. A FAA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE STATED THAT TO ELIMINATE WATER CONTAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SUPPLY, AN INSPECTION WAS REQUIRED AT EACH 50 HOURS OF OPERATION. MAINTENANCE RECORDS DATED AFTER SEPTEMBER 16, 1997 DID NOT REVEAL ANY COMPLIANCE OF THE AD, AND THE AIRPLANE HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 281 HOURS OF OPERATION. THE AIRPLANE OWNER'S MANUAL STATED, 'ACCEELERATED TO SINGLE ENGINE MINIMUM CONTROL SPEED (VMC) BEFORE APPLYING STRONGER BACK PRESSURE FOR ROTATION.' THE OWNER'S MANUAL ALSO STATED THAT, 'ON TAKE-OFF THE AIRCRAFT SHOULD BE KEPT EITHER ON, OR NEAR THE RUNWAY, UNTIL REACHING VMC.' THE FAA AIRPLANE FLYING HANDBOOK (AFH), STATED, 'IF THE AIRPLANE HAS JUST BECOME AIRBORNE AND THE AIRSPEED IS AT OR BELOW VMC WHEN THE ENGINE FAILS, THE PILOT COULD AVOID A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BY RETARDING BOTH THROTTLES IMMEDIATELY. IF THIS ACTION IS NOT TAKEN IMMEDIATELY, THE PILOT WILL BE UNABLE TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE.' IT ADDITIONALLY STATED, 'THE AIRPLANE SHOULD NEVER LEAVE THE GROUND BEFORE VMC IS REACHED.' PREFERABLY, VMC + 5 KNOTS SHOULD BE ATTAINED.' THE AFH ALSO STATED, 'SUFFICIENT FUEL SHOULD BE DRAINED FROM THE FUEL STRAINER QUICK DRAIN AND FROM EACH FUEL TANK SUMP TO CHECK FOR FUEL GRADE/COLOR, WATER, DIRT, AND SMELL. IF WATER IS FOUND IN THE FIRST FUEL SAMPLE, FURTHER SAMPLES SHOULD BE TAKEN UNTIL NO WATER APPEARS.' (-23) RIGHT ENGINE FAILED DURING TAKEOFF AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET OF ALTITUDE. AIRCRAFT SLOWED UNTIL INSUFFICIENT RUDDER WAS AVAILABLE TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT. LEFT ENGINE WAS BROUGHT TO IDLE AS AIRCRAFT WAS ROLLING TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND RIGHT WING LOW AND WOUND UP INVERTED. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EGRESSED WITHOUT INJURY. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB NYC00LA055](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00LA055), Dec 19, 1999: Piper PA-30 (N7397Y), Morristown, NJ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to obtain proper takeoff airspeed and his failure to follow published emergency procedures. Factors related to the accident were the pilot's inadequate preflight and water… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.