Piper J-4A N23179
7 April 1991 · Mahopac, New York, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 7 April 1991 at about 16:48 local time, a Piper J-4A registered N23179, operated by Michael Demaio, was involved in an accident near Mahopac, New York, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 16:48
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Mahopac, New York, United States
- Coordinates
- 41.3591, -73.7398
- Aircraft
- Piper J-4A
- Registration
- N23179
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Michael Demaio
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Danbury → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- NYC91LA104
People
2 people had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE ERRATIC PERFORMANCE OF THE LEFT MAGNETO RESULTING IN INADEQUATE CLIMB CAPABILITIES AND IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
DURING AN INITIATED GO-AROUND AT MAHOPAC AIRPORT, MAHOPAC, NEW YORK, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED PARTIAL POWER LOSS. FULL POWER COULD NOT BE DEVELOPED RESULTING IN DETERIORATED CLIMB CAPABILITIES. THE AIRPLANE COULD NOT CLEAR RISING TERRAIN AND HIT TREETOPS, EVENTUALLY CONTACTING THE GROUND. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT MAGNETO WAS EXCESSIVELY WORN AND DETERIORATED CAUSING THE SPARKS TO BE ERRATICALLY DISPLACED TO THE SPARK PLUGS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper J-4A accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Aug 2001 | Piper J-4A | Mosheim, Tennessee, United States | - | Fatal | - |
| 15 Aug 1969 | Piper J-4A | Lawtey, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Mar 2015 | Piper J-4A | Pine River, Minnesota, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jul 1991 | Maule M6-235 | Arcade, New York, United States | Haley, Lawrence E. | No injuries | - |
| 2 Jul 1991 | Cessna C-172 | Clarence Center, New York, United States | Augusta Aviation, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 2 Jul 1991 | Piper PA-32R-300 | Rhinebeck, New York, United States | Catskill Transportation | No injuries | - |
| 14 Jul 1991 | Robinson R-22B | White Plains, New York, United States | Engle Helicopter, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 17 Jul 1991 | Cessna 152 | Springwater, New York, United States | State Aerial Farm Statistics | No injuries | - |
| 12 Aug 1991 | Cessna 152 | Bear Mountain, New York, United States | Control Arrow, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |