- Date
- October 24, 2002, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Morristown, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4599DCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-25
- FAA report
- 20021024032709A
- Case key
- 55943
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During her second attempt at a solo touch-and-go, after touchdown, the student added power for takeoff. The airplane veered to the right, and departed the right side of the runway. It then traveled over grass, an intersecting runway, and struck trees. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the student pilot report any.
Factual narrative
On October 24, 2002, about 1700 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N4599D, was substantially damaged during takeoff from Morristown Municipal Airport (MMU), Morristown, New Jersey. The certificated student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The flight instructor reported that he and the student pilot had completed four touch-and-go landings. The student pilot then completed one solo touch-and-go to runway 5; a 5,999-foot long, 150-foot wide, asphalt runway. During her second touch-and-go, after touchdown, the student pilot added power. The airplane then pulled to the right, and departed the right side of the runway. The airplane traveled over grass, an intersecting runway, and eventually struck trees before coming to rest upright.
The student pilot reported that during the second solo touch-and-go, after adding power, the airplane veered to the right. The airplane departed the runway and struck trees.
The student pilot had a total flight experience of approximately 48 hours, of which, about 47 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. Additionally, the student pilot reported about 1 hour of solo flight experience.
Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed damage to both wings. The inspector did not observe any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the student pilot report any.
The reported winds at MMU, at 1645, were variable at 5 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4599D
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17272311
- Airframe hours
- 8,980
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Century Air
- Registered owner
- Sherman Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 12, 2002 · 81 hours before
- Departed
- MMU · Morristown, NJ
- Destination
- MMU
- Airport
- MMU · Morristown Municipal Airport, runway 5, 5,999 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 26
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 48 total · 47 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.38 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.
Other investigations on N4599D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.