# NTSB CHI79FET21: Piper PA-28, N55001, Laporte, IN, March 9, 1979

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: March 9, 1979
- Place: Laporte, IN · LAPORTE, IN
- Location: 41.6109° N, 86.7148° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of La Porte, IN, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.6109&lon=-86.7148&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 13, 1979
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 137156
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI79FET21
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI79FET21

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-1058   79/3/9  NR.LAPORTE,IN         PIPER PA-28         CR-  0  0  1  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 33, 435
        TIME - 0920                    N55001              PX-  0  0  1  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 338 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - LAPORTE MUNICIPAL
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          ANN ARBOR, MI              LAPORTE,IN
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION                            LANDING: TRAFFIC PATTERN-CIRCLING
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: CONTROLLED                  LANDING: LEVEL OFF/TOUCHDOWN
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER OPERATION OF POWERPLANT & POWERPLANT CONTROLS
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - ANTI-ICING/DEICING EQUIPMENT-IMPROPER OPERATION OF/OR FAILED TO USE
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - ICE-CARBURETOR
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO CARB./INDUCTION SYSTEM ICING
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - SNOW
        PARTIAL POWER LOSS - PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER - 1 ENGINE
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - FORCED LANDING ON AIRPORT/SEAPLANE BASE/HELIPT.
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OBSCURATION                                               400
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          3/4 MILE OR LESS                                         SNOW
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          BLOWING SNOW                                              35
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
          210                                                       8
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR                                                      IFR
        REMARKS- CIRCLING TO LAND.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N55001](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N55001-1981-12-23), registration cancelled 1981-12-23, S/N 287305288 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Airport: Laporte Municipal

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19790309004379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790309004379A), Mar 9, 1979: Piper PA28180, Laporte, IN, Substantial damage. Engine failure on IFR missed approach. Oil found in both magnetoes.

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.

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