# NTSB NYC79FA038: Piper PA-24, N7318P, Smithville, NJ, April 17, 1979

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Closed
- Date: April 17, 1979
- Place: Smithville, NJ · SMITHVILLE, NJ
- Location: 39.4949° N, 74.4786° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Smithville, NJ, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4949&lon=-74.4786&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 4 serious
- Status: Completed, report May 16, 1980
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 135615
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC79FA038
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC79FA038

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3626  79/4/17    SMITHVILLE,NJ       PIPER PA-24         CR-  0  1  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 40, 2084
        TIME - 1945                    N7318P              PX-  0  3  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 84 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - SMITHVILLE
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION         LAST ENROUTE STOP
          AMITYVILLE,NY               SMITHVILLE,NJ                ATLANTIC CITY,NJ
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION                            LANDING: TRAFFIC PATTERN-CIRCLING
           COLLIDED WITH: TREES                                     LANDING: TRAFFIC PATTERN-CIRCLING
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           POWERPLANT - MISCELLANEOUS: POWERPLANT FAILURE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS
        FACTOR(S)
           TERRAIN - HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS
        PARTIAL POWER LOSS - PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER - 1 ENGINE
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N7318P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7318P-2017-02-04), registration cancelled 2017-02-04, S/N 24-2495, built 1961 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24
- Registry model: [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (registry code 7102404) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Smithville

## 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 19790417042899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790417042899A), Apr 17, 1979: Piper PA24250, Smithville, NJ, Destroyed. Engine quit circling to land. Hit trees near runway. No malfunctions found. Indicates ran a fuel tank dry.

## Other investigations on N7318P (2)

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 NYC66F0015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC66F0015), Apr 29, 1965: Piper PA-24 (N7318P), Red Bank, NJ, destroyed
- [NTSB UNK64X0607](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/UNK64X0607), Feb 19, 1964: Piper PA24 (N7318P), Ft Sill, OK, substantial damage

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
