Cessna 172 accident near Morristown, New Jersey, July 29, 2016
On July 29, 2016 at about 8:17 pm local time, a 2003 Cessna 172, registered N5322P, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi near Morristown, New Jersey (Morristown Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain a safe taxi distance from a large turbine-powered airplane, resulting in an encounter of the turbine-powered airplane's jet blast while taxiing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2016 · about 8:17 pm local time
- Place
- Morristown, New Jersey · Morristown Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 2003 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N5322P · registry record · serial 172S9312
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a light single-engine airplane reported that while on a taxiway under air traffic control (ATC) instruction the airplane encountered jet blast, originating from a larger turbine-powered airplane being marshaled by ground personnel. Subsequently, the airplane's empennage lifted and the propeller and left wing struck the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration Aeronautical Information Manual in part states: "During ground operations and during takeoff, jet engine blast (thrust stream turbulence) can cause damage and upsets if encountered at close range. Exhaust velocity versus distance studies at various thrust levels have shown a need for light aircraft to maintain an adequate separation behind large turbojet aircraft. Pilots of larger aircraft should be particularly careful to consider the effects of their "jet blast" on other aircraft, vehicles, and maintenance equipment during ground operations."
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 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction during taxi defining event
- Nose over/nose down during taxi
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,670 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 1,480 as pilot in command; 1,268 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 24, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,646.2 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 30, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 796 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MMU Morristown NJ
- Destination: TEB Teterboro NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 5,998 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from KMMU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N5322P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.