Cessna 172N accident near Morristown, New Jersey, October 24, 2002
On October 24, 2002 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4599D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Morristown, New Jersey (Morristown Municipal Airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 2002 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Morristown, New Jersey · Morristown Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4599D · no longer on the register · serial 17272311
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During her second attempt at a solo touch-and-go, after touchdown, the student added power for takeoff. The airplane veered to the right, and departed the right side of the runway. It then traveled over grass, an intersecting runway, and struck trees. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the student pilot report any.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 48 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,980 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 2002; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Century Air
The flight
- Departed from: MMU Morristown NJ at 8:55 pm
- Destination: MMU
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 5,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.38 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from MMU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 N4599D 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.