MAHOPAC, NY, USA
N23179
PIPER J-4A
DURING AN INITIATED GO-AROUND AT MAHOPAC AIRPORT, MAHOPAC, NEW YORK, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED PARTIAL POWER LOSS. FULL POWER COULD NOT BE DEVELOPED RESULTING IN DETERIORATED CLIMB CAPABILITIES. THE AIRPLANE COULD NOT CLEAR RISING TERRAIN AND HIT TREETOPS, EVENTUALLY CONTACTING THE GROUND. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT MAGNETO WAS EXCESSIVELY WORN AND DETERIORATED CAUSING THE SPARKS TO BE ERRATICALLY DISPLACED TO THE SPARK PLUGS.
THE ERRATIC PERFORMANCE OF THE LEFT MAGNETO RESULTING IN INADEQUATE CLIMB CAPABILITIES AND IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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