What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 1, 2025, at approximately 1026 EDT, a Piper PA-32-300 departed from igor I. Sikorsky memorial airport (kbdr) on an easterly heading. While flying at flight level 030 (approximately 3,000 feet MSL), the pilot reported a loud bang consistent with the sound of an engine backfire, immediately followed by a total loss of engine power. The aircraft’s propeller continued to windmill, registering 0 RPM on cockpit instrumentation. The pilot promptly declared an emergency and informed air traffic control (ATC) of the engine failure. In response, ATC issued vectors toward Tweed new Haven airport (khvn), providing a heading of approximately 330°. The pilot changed heading and began executing emergency procedures in accordance with the aircraft flight manual (AFM). The pilot assessed the aircraft’s glide capabilities and determined that reaching the shoreline would not be possible. The pilot and passenger prepared for a water ditching. The aircraft was successfully ditched in the long island sound, approximately six nautical miles from the Connecticut coast. Upon impact, the aircraft sustained substantial damage but remained largely intact. The occupants exited the aircraft, donned life preservers, and remained on the wing while contacting emergency services via the pilot’s cell phone. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft became fully submerged. Approximately 30 minutes after the ditching, both individuals were rescued without injury by responding U.S. Coast guard personnel.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 1, 2025, AT APPROXIMATELY 1026 EDT, A PIPER PA-32-300 DEPARTED FROM IGOR I. SIKORSKY MEMORIAL AIRPORT (KBDR) ON AN EASTERLY HEADING. WHILE FLYING AT FLIGHT LEVEL 030 (APPROXIMATELY 3,000 FEET MSL), THE PILOT REPORTED A LOUD BANG CONSISTENT WITH THE SOUND OF AN ENGINE BACKFIRE, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE AIRCRAFT’S PROPELLER CONTINUED TO WINDMILL, REGISTERING 0 RPM ON COCKPIT INSTRUMENTATION. THE PILOT PROMPTLY DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND INFORMED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) OF THE ENGINE FAILURE. IN RESPONSE, ATC ISSUED VECTORS TOWARD TWEED NEW HAVEN AIRPORT (KHVN), PROVIDING A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 330°. THE PILOT CHANGED HEADING AND BEGAN EXECUTING EMERGENCY PROCEDURES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT MANUAL (AFM). THE PILOT ASSESSED THE AIRCRAFT’S GLIDE CAPABILITIES AND DETERMINED THAT REACHING THE SHORELINE WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER PREPARED FOR A WATER DITCHING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUCCESSFULLY DITCHED IN THE LONG ISLAND SOUND, APPROXIMATELY SIX NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE CONNECTICUT COAST. UPON IMPACT, THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE BUT REMAINED LARGELY INTACT. THE OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT, DONNED LIFE PRESERVERS, AND REMAINED ON THE WING WHILE CONTACTING EMERGENCY SERVICES VIA THE PILOT’S CELL PHONE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE AIRCRAFT BECAME FULLY SUBMERGED. APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES AFTER THE DITCHING, BOTH INDIVIDUALS WERE RESCUED WITHOUT INJURY BY RESPONDING U.S. COAST GUARD PERSONNEL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.