# NTSB NYC06CA080: Piper PA23-250, N13878, Morristown, NJ, March 20, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 20, 2006, 17:57 local (22:57 UTC) - Place: Morristown, NJ - Coordinates: 40.799167, -74.414718 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7992&lon=-74.4147&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report June 28, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 63364 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC06CA080 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63364/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC06CA080 ## Probable cause The pilot's premature shutdown of both engines, which resulted in a forced landing short of the runway. A factor was a landing gear malfunction indication for undetermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, approach - landing gear,gear indicating system - other (contributing factor) - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - engine shutdown - intentional, pilot in command - engine shutdown - premature, pilot in command (cause) - 2 engines - Forced landing, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - In flight collision with terrain/water, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - terrain condition - berm ## Analysis Landing gear indications were normal for both the preflight inspection and gear retraction after takeoff. However, at the destination airport, the right main landing down gear indication did not illuminate when the landing gear was lowered. The pilot flew by the control tower, and was advised that the landing gear "appeared to be down." The pilot subsequently switched indicator bulbs, and determined that the bulb was not the problem. The pilot did not report attempting to pump the landing gear down. Because of the amount of fuel onboard, the pilot decided to feather and shut down both engines during the final approach. However, after doing so, the airplane struck a berm short of the runway. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that damage to the airplane precluded further investigation of the landing gear system. ## Factual narrative According to the pilot, landing gear indications were normal for both the pre-flight inspection and gear retraction after takeoff. However, at the destination airport, the right main landing gear down indication did not illuminate when the landing gear was lowered. The pilot flew by the control tower, and was advised that the landing gear "appeared to be down." The pilot subsequently switched indicator bulbs, and determined that the bulb was not the problem. The pilot did not report attempting to pump the landing gear down. Because of the amount of fuel onboard, the pilot decided to feather and shut down both engines during the final approach. However, after doing so, the airplane struck a berm short of the runway. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that damage to the airplane precluded further investigation of the landing gear system. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N13878](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N13878-2018-01-11), registration cancelled 2018-01-11, S/N 27-4513, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA23-250 - Registry model: [Piper PA-23-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-250) (registry code 7102308) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 27-4513 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Registered owner: Northeast Aviation, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: PNE, Philadelphia, PA - Destination: MMU, Morristown, NJ - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: MMU, Morristown Municipal, runway 31 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; flight hours: 5,000 total, 1,500 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## 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 20060320011719A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060320011719A), Mar 20, 2006: Piper PA23250, Morristown, NJ, Substantial damage. (-23) On the first leg of operator's daily pne-mmu-buf cargo run, subject aircraft was cleared by mmu tower for the visual approach to runway 5. After… 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.