Murray JN4-D N176TP

Summary

On 9 September 2001 at about 18:00 local time, a Murray JN4-D registered N176TP was involved in an accident near Morrisdale, Pennsylvania, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 September 2001 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Morrisdale, Pennsylvania, United States

Coordinates

41.0091, -78.2190

Aircraft

Murray JN4-D

Registration

N176TP

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Philipsburg → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC01LA226

1 person was seriously injured.

Failure of the ignition coil, which resulted in a loss of engine power. A factor was the 10-foot corn in the forced landing field.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Once the airplane was on the runway, the pilot advanced the throttle, the engine responded, and within 300 feet the airplane was airborne. After tracking runway heading for about 1/2 mile, the pilot turned the airplane into the wind to improve climb performance. "Shortly" after completing the turn, and while approximately 400 feet agl, the engine suddenly lost power. The pilot lowered the nose to maintain airspeed, and executed a 180-degree turn to maneuver for a cornfield that was behind the airplane. Because of some power lines bordering the field, the pilot elected to proceed directly to it and land with a tailwind. The pilot flew the airplane just above the field, trading airspeed to maintain altitude. When the airplane started to stall, the pilot let it settle into the field. The left wing contacted the corn, which was 10 feet tall. The airplane's nose dropped, and the airplane impacted the ground nose low. The airplane came to a stop upright, and both occupants exited. The engine was from a 1986 Subaru that was involved in an automobile accident. The engine had approximately 9,000 miles on it at the time of the automobile accident, and 93.6 flight hours in the accident airplane. Examination of the engine revealed no preimpact failures or malfunctions except for a defective ignition coil.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.