Pilatus PC-12/45 accident near Trenton, New Jersey, October 16, 2002
On October 16, 2002 at about 6:24 pm local time, a Pilatus PC-12/45, registered N96WF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Trenton, New Jersey (Trenton Mercer airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A power loss, due to failure of the No. 1 bearing, which was a result of previous electrical discharge damage (EDD). Factors were the low ceiling and a wet runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 2002 · about 6:24 pm local time
- Place
- Trenton, New Jersey · Trenton Mercer · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Pilatus PC-12/45 · all PC-12/45s on the register
- Registration
- N96WF · registry record · serial 139
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Pilatus PC-12/45 departed into instrument meteorological conditions. Just as the airplane entered clouds, loud bangs were heard from the engine and flame was observed coming the left side engine exhaust. The pilot in command pushed the nose over, aimed the airplane to where he thought the airport was, and the second pilot initiated engine shutdown. The airplane touched down long and fast, on a wet runway. The pilot intentionally yawed the airplane, and it departed the runway in a nose right 60-degree skid, and struck a chain link fence about 300 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. Examination of the engine revealed the #1 bearing had failed. Electrical pitting was found on the gears in the accessory drive between the starter-generator (SG) attach point, and the # 1 bearing. About 704 hour earlier, the SG had an unscheduled replacement. Records indicated that the SG had burn marks on the stator vanes and armature; however, the initiating event for the SG failure was not determined. Other engines were identified as having experienced electrical discharge damage (EDD), all of which preceded the accident. Each event occurred on a multi-engine airplane and resulted in an in-flight shutdown, followed by a single engine landing. None of the starter generators that were identified as the source of the EDD were original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and all had been previously overhauled. Additional engines were identified as having experienced EDD; however, the records on the engines were incomplete, and there was no starter generator history to review. Goodrich published an overhaul manual for the starter-generator. In the manual they stated that only Goodrich replacement parts should be used, and the use of non-Goodrich parts would void their warranty. However, there was no FAA requirement that the overhaul be conducted by an FAA approved repair station, or that only Goodrich parts be used as replacement items
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- 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: 26,274 hours in all; 563 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 15,672 as pilot in command; 3,476 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 6, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 11,500 as pilot in command; 6,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 14, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,627 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 12, 2002; 32.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,965 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67B (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: The Nielsen-Wurster Group, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: TTN Trenton NJ at 6:22 pm
- Destination: IAD Washington VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 4,800 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 17 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.35 inHg
- Observation at 6:40 pm from TTN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
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 NYC03FA008.