# NTSB ERA20CA139: Beech 200, N200HF, Morristown, NJ, January 4, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: January 4, 2020, 12:15 local (17:15 UTC) - Place: Morristown, NJ - Coordinates: 40.799446, -74.415 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7994&lon=-74.4150&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 9 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 16, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA / FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 101124 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20CA139 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101124/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101124 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA139 ## Probable cause The airplane hydroplaning while landing on a wet runway, which degraded its braking capability and resulted in a runway overrun onto grass and mud and the nose landing gear collapsing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper decision to land the airplane until it was near the runway midpoint due to fog over the approach end of the runway. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface: wet surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023010): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 141 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023010/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: surface speed/braking](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062045): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 238 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062045/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Ceiling/visibility/precip: fog](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035055): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Decision related to condition (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 78 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035055/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Landing: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during the descent for an instrument approach in instrument meteorological conditions, he saw an area of patchy fog over the approach end of the runway and leveled off to avoid the fog. He landed the airplane with about 3,000 ft of the nearly 6,000-ft-long runway remaining and felt the airplane hydroplaning while using a combination of wheel braking and the beta range of the propellers. The airplane subsequently overran the end of the runway onto grass and mud, which resulted in the nose landing gear collapsing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative Nearing the conclusion of the instrument flight rules flight, the pilot of the multi-engine airplane was provided with radar vectors for an instrument approach in instrument meteorological conditions. During the decent, he observed an area of patchy fog over the approach end of the runway and leveled off to avoid the fog. He landed the airplane with about 3,000 ft of the nearly 6,000-ft-long runway remaining and felt the airplane hydroplaning while using a combination of wheel braking and the beta range of the propellers. The airplane subsequently overran the end of the runway, onto the adjacent grass and mud, collapsing the nose landing gear and impacting terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about that about the time of accident, the wind was from 270° at 3 knots, ½ statute mile visibility with fog and an overcast ceiling at 300 ft. The pilot was landing the airplane on runway 23. ## Aircraft - Registration: N200HF (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Beech 200 (B200) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: BB-1858 - Year built: 2004 - Airframe hours: 2644 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT 6A-42 1050 horsepower turbo prop; Pratt & Whitney PT 6A-42 1050 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Executive/Corporate, Part 91 - Operator: L C Whitford Co Inc - Registered owner: L C Whitford Co Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 19, 2019 - Departed: OLE, Olean, NY - Destination: MMU, Morristown, NJ - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: MMU, Morristown Muni, runway 23, 5,998 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 69; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 16, 2019; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 24,269 total, 1,149 in this make and model, 24,163 as pilot in command, 121 in the last 90 days, 37 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 3 knots - Lowest ceiling: 300 ft overcast - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 29.56 inHg - Observed at: MMU ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20200104013029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200104013029A), Jan 4, 2020: Raytheon Aircraft Company B200, Morristown, NJ, Substantial damage. While attempting to land on runway 23 at Morristown airport (mmu), N200HF experienced a runway excursion and overran the end of runway 23. The airplane… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 17, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101124. 9.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 4.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482536&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (item 2, .PDF, 1 photo, 4.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482538&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo-Master.PDF 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. --- 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.