NTSB report released on NJ Transit River Line crash that killed operator

A NJ Transit River Line operator who died in an accident in Burlington County last month was killed when a branch from a fallen tree on the tracks pierced the train's windshield, federal authorities have found.

The accident, which occurred just after 6 a.m. Oct. 14 in Mansfield Township, killed Jessica Haley, 41, of Levittown and injured 23 passengers on the tracks at the time of the crash, the National Transportation Safety Board said a newly released preliminary report.

Immediately after the accident, it was unclear whether the tree had already fallen or whether it had fallen and hit the train while it was moving.

The NTSB determined that the train was traveling through a curve at 64 miles per hour in the dark as it approached the tree. According to the NTSB, Haley activated the train's track and emergency brakes, causing it to decelerate for about 430 feet before hitting the tree. The train stopped about 880 feet beyond the impact site, the NTSB said.

The train was carrying 41 passengers in addition to Haley at the time of the accident. Although nearly two dozen passengers were injured, their injuries were described as non-life-threatening and they were treated at a nearby hospital before being released, the NTSB said.

Haley was a single mother of three young boys, family members said in a statement announcing their intention to sue NJ Transit and others after the crash. Her family said she worked as an operator on the River Line for about two decades before her death.

The NTSB said the investigation into the accident is ongoing and will focus on NJ Transit's right-of-way maintenance and the crashworthiness of the train design.