Somerset Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bedminster, New Jersey 07921
Friday, February 23, 1996 15:10 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot had received radar vectors for a straight in approach to runway 08. About 700 feet above mean sea level, he broke out of the clouds, saw the airport, and then circled to land on runway 30, which was 2,733 feet long and 65 feet wide. The pilot reported that he landed long, and about 200 feet from the runway end, he realized he would not stop on the remaining runway, so he aborted the landing. He was unable to get airborne, the airplane overran the runway, and impacted trees. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions. He stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had turned base farther out from the runway.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to perform a go-around, and his misjudged distance during the landing resulting in the overrun and the subsequent collision with the trees during the aborted landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/23/1996
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1510
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BEDMINSTER
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07921
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SOMERSET
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N52
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 105
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1445 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID MMU
Elevation of weather observation facility 187
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 162
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 23 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9254X
NTSB Number NYC96LA065
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-46-350P
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-46-350P
Aircraft Serial Number 4622189
Certified Max Gross Weight 4300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Feb 20 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 268
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CLIFFORD F. EVANS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 31 BOULDER HILL ROAD
Aircraft Owner City LEBANON
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 08833
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code VRB
Departure City VERO BEACH
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code N52
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30
Runway Length 2733
Runway Width 65
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --