Morristown Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Morristown, New Jersey 07960
Saturday, December 27, 2008 15:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The instructor and his pilot-rated student were conducting instrument work; reported weather included a vertical visibility of 200 feet and 1/4 mile visibility in fog. After the first instrument landing system approach with the student at the controls, the runway was not visually acquired at the decision height and a missed approach was performed. The instructor took the controls for the second approach and asked the student to monitor the radios and look for the runway environment. At 400 feet above ground level, the instructor saw the runway below him, but the airplane was "slightly high on the glideslope and a little fast..." He elected to attempt a landing, reducing the throttle to idle and adding full flaps. The airplane touched down long and the instructor was unable to stop the airplane on the remaining runway. The airplane collided with a snow bank, resulting in structural damage to the fuselage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight instructor's failure to execute a missed approach when insufficient runway remained for landing. Contributing to the accident were the low ceiling and visibility conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/27/2008
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Morristown
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07960
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 404758N
Event Location Longitude 0742453W
Event Location Airport Morristown Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MMU
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID MMU
Elevation of weather observation facility 187
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Indefinite (V V)
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.24
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25009
NTSB Notification Source FAA Eastern Region ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 6 2009 10:16AM
User who most recently changed record grer
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N178AF
NTSB Number ERA09CA110
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172R
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17281177
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 5 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Ameriflyers of Illinois, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 16151 Addison Rd.
Aircraft Owner City Addison
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75001-3252
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name American Flyers
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Morristown
Operator State NJ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 07960
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SWF
Departure City Newburgh
Departure State NY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1445
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MMU
Destination City Morristown
Destination State NJ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 6 2009 10:16AM
User who most recently changed record grer
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length 5999
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --