Columbia LC41-550FG accident near Somerville, New Jersey, November 17, 2006
On November 17, 2006 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Columbia LC41-550FG, registered N1442E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Somerville, New Jersey (Somerset airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The tug driver's inadequate lookout for landing traffic before crossing the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 2006 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Somerville, New Jersey · Somerset · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Columbia LC41-550FG
- Registration
- N1442E · registry record · serial 41698
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane flew a normal airport traffic pattern at the non-towered airport with the pilot announcing his intention to land over the radio. During the landing roll-out, the airplane struck another airplane that was being towed across the runway. The tug driver stated that as he approached the runway, he "did not see any aircraft," but as he was crossing the runway, he saw "a small plane landing out of nowhere." He tried to go forward and clear the runway quickly, but did not clear it in time. The landing airplane skidded into the towed airplane's tail. Federal Aviation Administration written guidance reiterates that when a ground vehicle nears a runway, the driver is to slow it down, look both ways, and look up for aircraft that are landing or taking off. If an aircraft is about to land on the runway, the driver shall stop and yield to it until it has landed and taxied clear of the runway. Guidance also notes that extra driver vigilance is a key at non-towered airports. "Aircraft do not have to communicate or announce their position in the pattern or on the surface...You can be lulled into complacency at non-towered airports because they usually aren't very busy, hence they don't justify a control tower."
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,863 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 1,313 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
- Certificate: student
- Last flight review: November 1, 2006
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 21 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-550 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lancair Holding, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: SMQ Somerville NJ at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,733 ft by 65 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from SMQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 NYC07LA032.