# NTSB NYC79FA044: Piper PA-31, N114TA, Saranac Lake, NY, December 25, 1978

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: December 25, 1978
- Place: Saranac Lake, NY · SARANAC LAKE, NY
- Location: 44.3259° N, 74.1309° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Saranac Lake, NY, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.3259&lon=-74.1309&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 3 fatal
- Status: Completed, report July 27, 1979
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 138994
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC79FA044
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC79FA044

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-2946  78/12/25 NR.SARANAC LAKE,NY    PIPER PA-31         CR-  2  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             COMMERCIAL, AGE 32, 2741
        TIME - 1918                    N114TA              PX-  1  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, UNK/NR IN
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            TYPE, INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          DETROIT,MI                  SARANAC,NY
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: CONTROLLED                  IN FLIGHT: OTHER
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER IFR OPERATION
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - SNOW
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY WEATHER BUREAU PERSONEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                  100
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          1 MILE OR LESS                                           SNOW
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          FOG                                                       19
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
          200                                                       6
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          VFR                                                      IFR
        REMARKS- RECOVERY DATE 4/29/79
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N114TA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N114TA-2009-06-25), registration cancelled 2009-06-25, S/N 31-7405461, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31
- Registry model: [Piper PA-31-350](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (registry code 7103110) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage

## 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 19781225045189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19781225045189A), Dec 25, 1978: Piper PA31350, Missing Aircraf, NY, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Injury index and acft dmg presumed.

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.