Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mahopac, New York 10541
Sunday, April 7, 1991 12:48 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE ERRATIC PERFORMANCE OF THE LEFT MAGNETO RESULTING IN INADEQUATE CLIMB CAPABILITIES AND IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/7/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1248
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MAHOPAC
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 10541
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1622
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45276
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:46AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N23179
NTSB Number NYC91LA104
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model J-4A
Aircraft Series Identifier J-4A
Aircraft Serial Number 4-546
Certified Max Gross Weight 1301
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 1853
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL DEMAIO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 51 GIVENS AVE.
Aircraft Owner City STAMFORD
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06902
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MICHAEL DEMAIO
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 51 GIVENS AVE.
Operator City STAMFORD
Operator State CT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 06902
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DXR
Departure City DANBURY
Departure State CT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --