Dassault FALCON 50 and Piper PA-28-181 mid-air collision near Fairview, New Jersey, November 10, 1985
On November 10, 1985 at about 10:22 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Dassault FALCON 50 (N784B) and Piper PA-28-181 (N1977H), were involved in a mid-air collision near Fairview, New Jersey (Teterboro airport). 5 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 10, 1985 · about 10:22 pm local time
- Place
- Fairview, New Jersey · Teterboro
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Dassault FALCON 50 · all FALCON 50s on the register
- Registration
- N784B · no longer on the register · serial 118
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91, subpart F)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N1977H · no longer on the register · serial 28-7790363
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Dassault FALCON 50 final · quoted from the NTSB record
DASSAULT FALCON 50 (D50), N784B, WAS ON VOR/DME-A APCH AT DUSK TO CIRCLE/LND AT TETERBORO (TEB), AS PIPER PA-28, N1977H,WAS TRANSITING ARPT TRAFFIC AREA (ATA) FM WEST TO EAST AT 1500' IN VFR (NO FLT PLN). PA-28 PLT WAS CLRD THRU ATA BY TEB TWR (STAYING BLO TCA FLOOR AT 1800'). LCL CTLR (LC) WAS ALSO HANDLING SVRL OTR ACFT & RDO FREQ WAS CONGESTED. ARTS COM- PUTER DIDN'T ACQUIRE D50'S EARLY DEP FM MORRISTOWN. TRACON HAD COORDINATED D50 ARRIVAL WITH TEB TWR, BUT TWR COORDINATOR& CLNC DELIVERY CTLR FAILED TO SPECIFICALLY NOTIFY THE LC. LC WAS SURPRISED WHEN D50 CREW (ARRIVING AT A SOMEWHAT FAST SPEED) CONTACTED HIM. LC GAVE TRAFFIC INFO TO D50 CREW, BUT PROVIDED MISLEADING ADVISORY CONCERNING THE PA-28'S DRCTN OFFLT. SUBSEQUENTLY, D50 & PA-28 CONVERGED & COLLIDED AT EDGE OF ATA, 4.5 MI ESE OF ARPT. D50 CRASHED IN APARTMENT BLDG, KILLING 1 & INJURING 2. EVIDENCE OF BREAKDOWN IN ATC COORDINATION; ATC MANAGEMENT AT TEB FAILED TO RECOGNIZE & CORRECT OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS. BRITE RADAR AT TEB TWR DID NOT DISPLAY ALPHA-NUMERIC DATA OR RANGE MARKS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-28-181 final · quoted from the NTSB record
DASSALT FALCON 50 (D50), N784B, WAS ON VOR/DME-A APCH AT DUSK TO CIRCLE/LND AT TETERBORO (TEB), AS PIPER PA-28, N1977H, WAS TRANSITING ARPT TRAFFIC AREA (ATA) FM WEST TO EAST AT 1500' IN VFR (NO FLT PLN). PA-28 PLT WAS CLRD THRU ATA BY TEB TWR (STAYING BLO TCA FLOOR AT 1800'). LCL CTLR (LC) WAS ALSO HANDLING SVRL OTR ACFT & RDO FREQ WAS CONGESTED. ARTS COM- PUTER DIDN'T ACQUIRE D50'S EARLY DEP FM MORRISTOWN. TRACON HAD COORDINATED D50 ARRIVAL WITH TEB TWR, BUT TWR COORDINATOR& CLNC DELIVERY CTLR FAILED TO SPECIFICALLY NOTIFY THE LC. LC WAS SURPRISED WHEN D50 CREW (ARRIVING AT A SOMEWHAT FAST SPEED) CONTACTED HIM. LC GAVE TRAFFIC INFO TO D50 CREW, BUT PROVIDED MISLEADING ADVISORY CONCERNING THE PA-28'S DRCTN OFFLT. SUBSEQUENTLY, D50 & PA-28 CONVERGED & COLLIDED AT EDGE OT ATA, 4.5 MI ESE OF ARPT. D50 CRASHED IN APARTMENT BLDG, KILLING 1 & INJURING 2. EVIDENCE OF BREAKDOWN IN ATC COORDINATION; ATC MANAGEMENT AT TEB FAILED TO RECOGNIZE & CORRECT OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS. BRITE RADAR AT TEB TWR DID NOT DISPLAY ALPHA NUMERIC DATA OR RANGE MARKS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record for the Dassault FALCON 50 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,265 hours in all; 817 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 26,450 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TFE-731-3-1C (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MMV Morristown NJ at 10:11 pm
- Destination: TEB Teterboro NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 19, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from TEB, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-28-181 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 269 hours in all; 92 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 22, 1985; 237 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CDW Caldwell NJ at 10:13 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DCA86AA004.