Piper PA-18-135 accident near Inlet, New York, April 23, 2013
On April 23, 2013 at about 2:00 pm local time, a 1953 Piper PA-18-135, registered N18JP, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Inlet, New York. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 2013 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Inlet, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-135, built 1953 · all PA-18-135s on the register
- Registration
- N18JP · registry record · serial 18-2471
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot's preflight inspection of the float-equipped airplane revealed no anomalies, and he subsequently departed for a local flight. Shortly after departure, the engine began to run roughly and produce "surges of power." The pilot turned the airplane back toward the departure lake but then realized that the airplane's airspeed and altitude were insufficient to clear trees on the shore. While attempting to maneuver the airplane between trees, the airplane experienced an aerodynamic stall and came to rest inverted near the lakeshore in about 8 to 12 inches of water. Before the airplane was recovered from the lake, 6 gallons of fuel were drained from the left wing tank. The right wing tank was breached during impact. Postaccident examination revealed no obvious defects of the engine or fuel system except for a mixture of water and fuel found in the carburetor float bowl. It could not be determined whether water was present in the bowl before the partial water submersion or as a result of it. Although atmospheric conditions were favorable to the accumulation of carburetor icing at glide and cruise power, it could not be determined if carburetor ice was present during the takeoff.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 600 in this make and model
- Last flight review: October 17, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,969 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,760 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 SERIES (piston); 3,538 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Inlet NY at 1:50 pm
- Destination: Inlet NY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from RME, 42 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA13LA211.