Piper PA-30 accident near Montgomery, New York, January 7, 1983
On January 7, 1983 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N223JN, was destroyed in an accident near Montgomery, New York (Orange County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 7, 1983 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Montgomery, New York · Orange County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N223JN · no longer on the register · serial 30-943
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS ON ONE ENGINE DURING TAKE-OFF INITIAL CLIMB. THE PILOT REGAINED CONTROL OF THE ACFT AND CONTINUED TO FLY THE LANDING PATTERN. ON THE DOWNWIND LEG THE ENGINES RAN INTERMITTENTLY. TURNING FINAL BOTH ENGINESSTOPPED. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN AN OPEN PASTURE 1500 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE REFUELED BY THE TIME FLOWN AND FIGURED 15 GALLONS OF FUEL AN HOUR AS AN AVERAGE CONSUMPTION. ON THIS FLIGHT HE WAS GOING ONCE AROUND THE PATTERN. HE ESTIMATED THE MAIN TANKS TO HAVE 7 GALLONS EACH. WHEN ASKED HOW HE ARRIVED AT THAT ESTIMATE HE SAID 'WHEN HE LOOKED INTO THE MAIN TANKS HE WANTED TO SEE 7 GALLONS AND THATS WHAT HE SAW.' DURING THE FORCED LANDING THE LANDING GEAR WAS DAMAGED AND THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE WHICH SEPARATED A WING. BOTH OCCUPANTS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE MAIN TANKS CONTAINED LESS THAN A PINT OF FUEL. THE AUX. TANKS CONTAINED ONE GALLON EACHTHE TANK SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE MAIN TANKS. THE PILOT SAID HE HAD PLANNED TO REFUEL AFTER THIS FLIGHT.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 816 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 687 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,407 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 6, 1982; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MGJ Montgomery NY at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:06 pm from MGJ, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.