What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At approximately 1905 EST on may 27, 2016, , the subject aircraft departed Republic airport (kfrg), farmingdale, NY, with two (2) other aircraft for a photo mission in the hudson corridor. The flight of three (3) aircraft consisted of N1345B, a Republic P-47D (accident aircraft), N1232 a curtis P-40, and N9819R a Beech M-35. The Beech M-35 was to be taking the photos of N1345B, a Republic P-47D, and N1232 a curtis P-40. As the flight proceeded under the jfk class b airspace along the south transition of the hudson corridor, at approximately 1,000? AGL, the pilot of N1345B reported smoke. The aircraft committed to a water ditching southbound along the west side of the hudson river. The pilot for N1345B had been recovered from the wreckage at approximately 0030 local time on may 28, 2016, by nypd dive team. Visual confirmation of a Florida driver?s license (G635-926-59-217-0) on the body identified the deceased as willliam f. gordon iii, commercial pilot certificate no. 3041129. The aircraft had been recovered from the water at approximately 1230 local time by the nypd dive team, and the army corps of engineers. The aircraft was then transferred to the downtown manhattan / wall street heliport (kjrb). The aircraft arrived, and was transferred to spot no. 2 at jrb at approximately 1330 local time. The aircraft was inspected by aviation safety inspectors from the NY FSDO EA-15, the teterboro FSDO EA-25. Inspectors left the aircraft secured by nypd personnel at approximately 1700 local time. At 0630 local time, aviation safety inspectors returned to the aircraft and watched the disassembly of the aircraft by anglin aircraft recovery services. At 1930 local time the aircraft was removed from the jrb ramp and went enroute to anglin aircraft recovery services, LLC at 4901 holletts corner road, clayton Delaware 119938.
As the FAA filed it
AT APPROXIMATELY 1905 EST ON MAY 27, 2016, , THE SUBJECT AIRCRAFT DEPARTED REPUBLIC AIRPORT (KFRG), FARMINGDALE, NY, WITH TWO (2) OTHER AIRCRAFT FOR A PHOTO MISSION IN THE HUDSON CORRIDOR. THE FLIGHT OF THREE (3) AIRCRAFT CONSISTED OF N1345B, A REPUBLIC P-47D (ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT), N1232 A CURTIS P-40, AND N9819R A BEECH M-35. THE BEECH M-35 WAS TO BE TAKING THE PHOTOS OF N1345B, A REPUBLIC P-47D, AND N1232 A CURTIS P-40. AS THE FLIGHT PROCEEDED UNDER THE JFK CLASS B AIRSPACE ALONG THE SOUTH TRANSITION OF THE HUDSON CORRIDOR, AT APPROXIMATELY 1,000? AGL, THE PILOT OF N1345B REPORTED SMOKE. THE AIRCRAFT COMMITTED TO A WATER DITCHING SOUTHBOUND ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF THE HUDSON RIVER. THE PILOT FOR N1345B HAD BEEN RECOVERED FROM THE WRECKAGE AT APPROXIMATELY 0030 LOCAL TIME ON MAY 28, 2016, BY NYPD DIVE TEAM. VISUAL CONFIRMATION OF A FLORIDA DRIVER?S LICENSE (G635-926-59-217-0) ON THE BODY IDENTIFIED THE DECEASED AS WILLLIAM F. GORDON III, COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE NO. 3041129. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN RECOVERED FROM THE WATER AT APPROXIMATELY 1230 LOCAL TIME BY THE NYPD DIVE TEAM, AND THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN TRANSFERRED TO THE DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN / WALL STREET HELIPORT (KJRB). THE AIRCRAFT ARRIVED, AND WAS TRANSFERRED TO SPOT NO. 2 AT JRB AT APPROXIMATELY 1330 LOCAL TIME. THE AIRCRAFT WAS INSPECTED BY AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTORS FROM THE NY FSDO EA-15, THE TETERBORO FSDO EA-25. INSPECTORS LEFT THE AIRCRAFT SECURED BY NYPD PERSONNEL AT APPROXIMATELY 1700 LOCAL TIME. AT 0630 LOCAL TIME, AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTORS RETURNED TO THE AIRCRAFT AND WATCHED THE DISASSEMBLY OF THE AIRCRAFT BY ANGLIN AIRCRAFT RECOVERY SERVICES. AT 1930 LOCAL TIME THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE JRB RAMP AND WENT ENROUTE TO ANGLIN AIRCRAFT RECOVERY SERVICES, LLC AT 4901 HOLLETTS CORNER ROAD, CLAYTON DELAWARE 119938.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.