Cessna 172 accident near Morristown, New Jersey, April 19, 1982
On April 19, 1982 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N54576, 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; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 1982 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Morristown, New Jersey · Morristown Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N54576 · registry record · serial 17275003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT PROCEEDED TO THE MORRISTOWN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT TO PRACTICE TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. HE STATED THAT DURING HIS FIRST TOUCH AND GO, THE RIGHT WING PICKED UP. HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, DURING THE GO-AROUND, A WING OF THE AIRCRAFT HIT TREES AND THE PLANE LANDED OFF OF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.
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: student
- Flight time: 58 hours in all; 58 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 804 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Teterboro NJ at 11:15 am
- Destination: Morristown NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N54576 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.