# Accident 20160220010729A: Piper PA-28-181, Setauket, NY, February 20, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 20, 2016, 23:05 local time
- Place: Setauket, NY
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.9611° N, 73.0844° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.9611&lon=-73.0844&mi=10
- Aircraft: N29099, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N29099-2018-03-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-181 (registry code 7102807, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-181
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 3
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 2,840 total, 1,400 in this make and model, 115 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA16LA109](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA109) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160220010729A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FROM REPUBLIC AIRPORT (FRG) AT APPROXIMATELY 1430 LOCAL ON SATURDAY 02/20/2016 WITH THE PIC AND 3 PASSENGERS. THE PIC / CFI WAS PROVIDING FLIGHT INSTRUCTION TO THE LEFT SEAT PASSENGER.  THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT ISSUE AT APPROXIMATELY 1545 LOCAL TIME AT FITCHBURG MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (FIT) IN FITCHBURG MASS. THE PILOT AND 3 PASSENGERS DEPARTED (FIT) FITCHBURG MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, FITCHBURG MA.AT APPROXIMATELY 2100  LOCAL INTENDING TO FLY FIT-FRG VIA THE CONNECTICUT COAST TO (BDR) BRIDGEPORT AND THEN SOUTH ACROSS THE LI SOUND TO REPUBLIC AIRPORT (FRG).

THE AIRCRAFT WAS ALOFT APPROXIMATELY 2 HRS IN THE VICINITY OF 4-5 MILES EAST OF THE NORTHPORT STACKS WHEN THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER FOR UNKNOWN REASON AND EVENTUALLY PERFORMED A POWER OFF EMERGENCY LANDING TO THE WEST SIDE OF PORT JEFFERSON HARBOR LANDING IN THE WATER. THE PILOT AND 3 PASSENGERS WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT, FRONT SEAT PASSENGER AND ONE OF THE REAR SEAT PASSENGERS MADE IT TO THE SHORELINE AND WERE RESCUED BY LOCAL POLICE AND EMS. ONE OF THE REAR SEAT PASSENGERS HAS NOT BEEN RECOVERED.

## 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 ERA16LA109](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA109), Feb 21, 2016: Piper PA28 (N29099), Port Jefferson, NY, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The flight instructor's inadequate preflight fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

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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