# Accident 20050521019009A: Cessna 172S, Coney Island, NY, May 21, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 21, 2005, 13:46 local time
- Place: Coney Island, NY
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: CZOS
- Location: 40.5722° N, 73.9811° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5722&lon=-73.9811&mi=10
- Aircraft: N778LP, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N778LP-2007-10-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172S (registry code 2072439, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 4
- Pilot flight hours: 1,502 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD05FA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD05FA067) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050521019009A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) N778LP CESSNA 172S S/N 172S8778 FSDO-15 SATURDAY 21, 2005 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ON MAY 21, 2005, AT 1346 LOCAL TIME (1746 UTC), A CESSNA 172S, N778LP CRASHED WHILE MANEUVERING AT THE PROXIMITY OF WEST 15TH STREET ON CONEY ISLAND, BROOKLYN NY. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM THE LINDEN AIRPORT, LINDEN, NEW JERSEY (LDJ), AT ABOUT 1300 LOCAL TIME, VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, A "DISCOVERY FLIGHT" (DEFINED AS AN INTRODUCTORY FLIGHT FOR PERSONS INTERESTED IN BECOMING PILOTS), NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. THE AIRCRAFT IS OPERATED BY AIR FLEET TRAINING SYSTEMS INCORPORATED. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OM^ A COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY THREE (3) PASSENGERS ON THE FLIGHT, ONE (1) MALE AND TWO (2) FEMALES. ON INITIAL DEPARTURE FROM LDJ, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR RETURNED TO AIRPORT WHEN ONE OF THE THREE (3) FEMALE PASSENGERS FELT ILL AND NEEDED TO DISEMBARK. AIRCRAFT LANDED AND WAS REFUELED AND ANOTHER PASSENGER, ONE (1) MALE BOARDED THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN                                       DEPARTED AND CONTINUED ON ITS DISCOVERY FLIGHT TOWARDS CONEY ISLAND, BROOKLYN. ACCORDING TO WITNESS REPORTS THE AIRCRAFT WAS MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE ALONG THE BEACHFRONT. THE REPORT STATED THE AIRPLANE AS BEING IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AT TIME OF IMPACT, APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET SOUTH OF THE BOARDWALK, FIRST RESPONDERS WERE THE NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF NEW YORK. THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD (NTSB) WAS ON SITE BEFORE THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA). NTSB RELEASED THE HUMAN REMAINS TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER (ME). PART OF TAIL SECTION WAS SAWED OFF TO AID IN REMOVING THE REMAINS OF THE OCCUPANTS. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE EXHIBITED UPON IMPACT, ALL THE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE ACCOUNTED FOR AT THE CRASH SITE. THE IMPACT AND DEBRIS FIELD WAS VERY CONCENTRATED AND THERE WAS NO POST IMPACT FIRE DAMAGE. NTSB/FAA CONDUCTED ON SITE PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION; AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE CRASH SITE AND RELOCATED TO FLOYD BENNETT FIELD BROOKLYN NY, FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY THE NTSB FOR PROBABLE CAUSE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

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.

- [NTSB IAD05FA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD05FA067), May 21, 2005: Cessna 172S (N778LP), Brooklyn, NY, substantial damage, 4 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent impact with terrain.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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