Piper PA23-250 accident near Morristown, New Jersey, March 20, 2006
On March 20, 2006 at about 10:57 pm local time, a Piper PA23-250, registered N13878, was substantially damaged in an accident near Morristown, New Jersey (Morristown Municipal airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's premature shutdown of both engines, which resulted in a forced landing short of the runway. A factor was a landing gear malfunction indication for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 2006 · about 10:57 pm local time
- Place
- Morristown, New Jersey · Morristown Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA23-250 · all PA23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N13878 · no longer on the register · serial 27-4513
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Landing gear indications were normal for both the preflight inspection and gear retraction after takeoff. However, at the destination airport, the right main landing down gear indication did not illuminate when the landing gear was lowered. The pilot flew by the control tower, and was advised that the landing gear "appeared to be down." The pilot subsequently switched indicator bulbs, and determined that the bulb was not the problem. The pilot did not report attempting to pump the landing gear down. Because of the amount of fuel onboard, the pilot decided to feather and shut down both engines during the final approach. However, after doing so, the airplane struck a berm short of the runway. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that damage to the airplane precluded further investigation of the landing gear system.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PNE Philadelphia PA
- Destination: MMU Morristown NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.