Event DCA86AA004

Factual narrative

DASSAULT FALCON 50 (D50), N784B, WAS ON VOR/DME-A APCH AT DUSK TO CIRCLE/LND AT TETERBORO (TEB), AS PIPER PA-28, N1977H,WAS TRANSITING ARPT TRAFFIC AREA (ATA) FM WEST TO EAST AT 1500' IN VFR (NO FLT PLN). PA-28 PLT WAS CLRD THRU ATA BY TEB TWR (STAYING BLO TCA FLOOR AT 1800'). LCL CTLR (LC) WAS ALSO HANDLING SVRL OTR ACFT & RDO FREQ WAS CONGESTED. ARTS COM- PUTER DIDN'T ACQUIRE D50'S EARLY DEP FM MORRISTOWN. TRACON HAD COORDINATED D50 ARRIVAL WITH TEB TWR, BUT TWR COORDINATOR& CLNC DELIVERY CTLR FAILED TO SPECIFICALLY NOTIFY THE LC. LC WAS SURPRISED WHEN D50 CREW (ARRIVING AT A SOMEWHAT FAST SPEED) CONTACTED HIM. LC GAVE TRAFFIC INFO TO D50 CREW, BUT PROVIDED MISLEADING ADVISORY CONCERNING THE PA-28'S DRCTN OFFLT. SUBSEQUENTLY, D50 & PA-28 CONVERGED & COLLIDED AT EDGE OF ATA, 4.5 MI ESE OF ARPT. D50 CRASHED IN APARTMENT BLDG, KILLING 1 & INJURING 2. EVIDENCE OF BREAKDOWN IN ATC COORDINATION; ATC MANAGEMENT AT TEB FAILED TO RECOGNIZE & CORRECT OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS. BRITE RADAR AT TEB TWR DID NOT DISPLAY ALPHA-NUMERIC DATA OR RANGE MARKS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12