# Accident 20190419003059A: Piper PA-32-300, I Fadang, CM, April 19, 2019

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 19, 2019, 18:30 local time
- Place: I Fadang, CM
- Airport: Saipan International Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: 1SMA
- Location: 15.1181° N, 145.7242° E: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=15.1181&lon=145.7242&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4599X, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4599X) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-300 (registry code 7103212, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-300
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TI0-540 SER
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,268 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA19CA268](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA268) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190419003059A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON APRIL 19, 2019 AT APPROXIMATELY 1830 LOCAL TIME, THE PIPER PA-32R-300 WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING THE FAILURE OF THE UPPER ENGINE COWLING DURING A FLIGHT FROM SAIPAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT(GSN) TO WEST TINIAN AIRPORT(TNI) IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANAS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE LEVELING OUT AT 1500 FEET OF ALTITUDE AFTER DEPARTING GSN, HE BELIEVED HE HIT A BIRD CAUSING MOST OF THE UPPER ENGINE COWLING TO BE LIBERATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE COWL IMPACTED THE RIGHT STABILATOR WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO DAMAGE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE IN THE TAIL. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND WAS ABLE TO LAND AT GSN WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE TO STRUCTURE IN THE TAIL, BUT THERE WERE NO INJURIES. EVIDENCE OF A BIRD STRIKE WAS NOTED ON THE WINDSCREEN AND VERTICAL STABILIZER.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB GAA19CA268](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA268), Apr 19, 2019: Piper PA32 (N4599X), Saipan, substantial damage. Probable cause: The airplane’s collision with a bird during the initial climb, which resulted in the engine cowling separating and impacting the empennage.

## Other reports on N4599X (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20260615013099I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260615013099I), Jun 15, 2026: Piper PA-32-300 (N4599X), Tinian, CM, Minor damage. On June 15, 2026, at approximately 0935 chamorro standard time, a Piper PA-32 cherokee six, operated by [privacy data omitted] as a scheduled passenger flight,…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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