# NTSB NYC79FA083: Piper PA-23, N55PH, Sundown, NY, August 24, 1979

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Closed
- Date: August 24, 1979
- Place: Sundown, NY · SUNDOWN, NY
- Location: 41.8879° N, 74.4602° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Sundown, NY, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.8879&lon=-74.4602&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report August 11, 1980
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 133911
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC79FA083
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC79FA083

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3960  79/8/24  NR.SUNDOWN,NY         PIPER PA-23         CR-  0  1  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             COMMERCIAL, AGE 57, 5000
        TIME - 1415                    N55PH               PX-  0  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 4500 IN
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            TYPE, INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - SULLIVAN CO
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          MYRTLE BEACH,SC             MONTGOMERY,NY
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLIDED WITH: TREES                                     LANDING: MISSED APPROACH
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER IFR OPERATION
        FACTOR(S)
           TERRAIN - HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS
        REMARKS- HIT TREES ON HI TRRN AFTER MISSED APCH.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N55PH](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N55PH-1979-12-03), registration cancelled 1979-12-03, S/N 274300 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-23
- Registry model: [Piper PA-23-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-250) (registry code 7102308) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Sullivan Co

## 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 19790824025349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790824025349A), Aug 24, 1979: Piper PA23250, Sundown, NY, Destroyed. Crashed into trees executing missed approach under IFR weather conditions. Failed to climb to higher assigned alt.

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.