Narrative:
A Learjet 75, N877W, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Morristown Municipal Airport (MMU), New Jersey, USA.
The pilots and the two passengers sustained minor injuries.
According to the captain in the left seat, the airplane was established on a visual approach for landing on runway 23. The reported wind was from 340° at 3 knots gusting to 16 knots. The quartering tailwind was computed "within limits," the thrust reversers were deployed at touchdown, and the airplane turned "sharply to the right." According to the captain, "It felt unusual. Normal crosswind correction inputs made no difference, extreme inputs were made, and still no control was possible." The airplane departed the right side of the runway, and the entire wing structure separated from the main fuselage, which continued for about 100 ft before coming to rest upright. The crew shut down the airplane and exited the main cabin door along with one passenger, while the second passenger egressed the airplane by the emergency exit.
NTSB examination of track data and airport surveillance video revealed a nominal approach profile and that the airplane crossed the runway threshold about 120 knots groundspeed. About 9 seconds into the landing roll, the airplane turned sharply to its right. The airplane departed the runway, its left wingtip struck the ground, the entire wing structure (left wing/right wing/wingbox) separated from the airplane as one assembly, and the fuselage continued a short distance before it came to rest upright. The thrust reversers on each engine were deployed, and their positions were approximately matched.
The windsock in the foreground of the video was nearly parallel to the ground and pointed about 90° toward the runway and the airplanes right side.
» ADS-B Exchange flight track
KMMU 021500Z 36009G14KT 10SM FEW250 06/M04 A3012
15:25 UTC / 11:25 local time:
KMMU 021525Z 32006G14KT 10SM FEW250 07/M05 A3011
15:45 UTC / 11:45 local time:
KMMU 021545Z 33007KT 10SM FEW250 07/M04 A3010
| Status: | Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
| Date: | Saturday 2 April 2022 |
| Time: | 11:19 |
| Type: |  Learjet 75 |
| Operator: | Georgia Crown Distributing Co. |
| Registration: | N877W |
| MSN: | 45-496 |
| First flight: | 2014 |
| Engines: | 2 Honeywell TFE731-40BR-1 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Morristown Municipal Airport, NJ (MMU) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Landing (LDG) |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Atlanta-Fulton County Airport, GA (FTY/KFTY), United States of America |
| Morristown Municipal Airport, NJ (MMU/KMMU), United States of America |
A Learjet 75, N877W, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Morristown Municipal Airport (MMU), New Jersey, USA.
The pilots and the two passengers sustained minor injuries.
According to the captain in the left seat, the airplane was established on a visual approach for landing on runway 23. The reported wind was from 340° at 3 knots gusting to 16 knots. The quartering tailwind was computed "within limits," the thrust reversers were deployed at touchdown, and the airplane turned "sharply to the right." According to the captain, "It felt unusual. Normal crosswind correction inputs made no difference, extreme inputs were made, and still no control was possible." The airplane departed the right side of the runway, and the entire wing structure separated from the main fuselage, which continued for about 100 ft before coming to rest upright. The crew shut down the airplane and exited the main cabin door along with one passenger, while the second passenger egressed the airplane by the emergency exit.
NTSB examination of track data and airport surveillance video revealed a nominal approach profile and that the airplane crossed the runway threshold about 120 knots groundspeed. About 9 seconds into the landing roll, the airplane turned sharply to its right. The airplane departed the runway, its left wingtip struck the ground, the entire wing structure (left wing/right wing/wingbox) separated from the airplane as one assembly, and the fuselage continued a short distance before it came to rest upright. The thrust reversers on each engine were deployed, and their positions were approximately matched.
The windsock in the foreground of the video was nearly parallel to the ground and pointed about 90° toward the runway and the airplanes right side.
Accident investigation:
|
Classification:
Runway excursion (veer-off)
Sources:
» eu.northjersey.com» ADS-B Exchange flight track
METAR Weather report:
15:00 UTC / 11:00 local time:KMMU 021500Z 36009G14KT 10SM FEW250 06/M04 A3012
15:25 UTC / 11:25 local time:
KMMU 021525Z 32006G14KT 10SM FEW250 07/M05 A3011
15:45 UTC / 11:45 local time:
KMMU 021545Z 33007KT 10SM FEW250 07/M04 A3010
Photos
Video, social media
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line is connecting ADS-B datapoints from AX.
Distance from Atlanta-Fulton County Airport, GA to Morristown Municipal Airport, NJ as the crow flies is 1178 km (736 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Atlanta-Fulton County Airport, GA to Morristown Municipal Airport, NJ as the crow flies is 1178 km (736 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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