# NTSB ERA22LA017: Cessna 182, N759AC, Fire Island, NY, October 15, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 15, 2021, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Fire Island, NY - Coordinates: 40.646052, -73.143694 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6461&lon=-73.1437&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 3 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - SAIBs cited in the narratives: [SAIB CE-09-35](https://openairdocs.org/saib/CE-09-35) (OpenAirDocs) - NTSB case key (mKey): 104108 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA22LA017 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104108/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104108 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA017 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182Q, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2072732), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182Q, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2072732), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, he was in cruise flight about 1,200 ft mean sea level when the engine started to lose power. He checked the fuel selector mixture control positions were correct, but the engine experienced a total loss of power. He applied carburetor heat and attempted to restart the engine. When he was unable to restore engine power, he performed a forced landing to a beach. During the landing roll, the airplane contacted a hump in the sand, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the right wing impacted the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the temperature and dew point about the time of the accident, the conditions were favorable for serious carburetor icing at a glide power settings. Given that the pilot reported that the airplane was is in cruise flight when the loss of engine power occurred, it is unlikely that the loss of engine power was due to carburetor icing. ## Factual narrative On October 15, 2021, about 1500 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182Q, N759AC, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Fire Island, New York. The pilot and two passengers sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. According to the pilot, he was conducting an “introductory” flight for the two passengers around Long Island, New York. He reported departing with 64 gallons of fuel onboard. He stated that he was flying in cruise flight about 1,200 ft mean sea level when the engine started to lose power. He checked the fuel selector to confirm it was in BOTH position and verified the mixture control was full forward, but the engine experienced a total loss of power. He applied carburetor heat, unsuccessfully tried to restart the engine two times, and then performed a forced landing on a beach near Fire Island National Seashore. The pilot further stated he made a normal landing on the beach, however, during the landing roll, the airplane contacted a hump in the sand. The nose landing gear collapsed, which resulted in the propeller and right wing contacting the ground. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the right wing. The propeller was rotated by hand through 360° of motion, and crankshaft and valvetrain continuity were established to the rear accessory case. The magneto timing was checked and found to be within limits. The spark plugs were removed and exhibited normal wear and proper gap. The compression leak down test was satisfactory on all cylinders. The airplane’s maintenance logbooks could not be located. At 1456, the weather reported at Long Island Mac Arthur Airport (ISP), about 9 nautical miles north of the accident site, included a temperature of 25°C and a dew point 16°C. The calculated relative humidity at this temperature and dewpoint was 57 percent. The carburetor icing probability chart from FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB): CE-09-35 Carburetor Icing Prevention, showed a probability of serious icing at glide power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N759AC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N759AC), registered now, S/N 18265830 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 182 (Q) - Registry model: [Cessna 182Q](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182q) (registry code 2072732) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18265830 - Airframe hours: 14358 - Engines: Continental O-470 230 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Waizman Aviation Corp - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 4, 2021 - Departed: FRG, Farmingdale, NY - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 26; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 22, 2021; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 290 total, 15 in this make and model, 232 as pilot in command, 25 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.90 inHg - Observed at: ISP, 9 nm away - METAR: KISP 151856Z 18010KT 10SM FEW050 FEW250 25/16 A2990 RMK AO2 SLP124 T02500156 $ ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20211015018829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211015018829A), Oct 15, 2021: Cessna 182Q, Fire Island, NY, Substantial damage. Documents provided by pilot show he was current and qualified. Interviewed pilot and it seems like he followed all the procedures from engine start to… ## Docket (8 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 30, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104108. 7.3 MB in all. - NTSB form 6120.1 - pilot/operator report form (pilot) (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13131848&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120.1-pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf - NTSB form 6120.1 - pilot/operator report form (owner) (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13131760&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=pages%20of%206120%20from%20owner-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, pilot (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 112 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13141348&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Interview-pilot-Rel.pdf - Engine examination summary (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13131302&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Report%20to%20NTSB,%20N759AC_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's statement (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 124 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13130654&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandom-FAA-Rel.pdf - Investigative photo's (item 6, PDF, 2 pages, 895 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13130664&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photo%27s-Rel.pdf - Carb ice chart (item 7, JPG, 681 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13140415&FileExtension=jpg&FileName=InkedCarb%20Ice_LI-Rel.jpg - Weather reports and records (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 92 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13141476&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Metar-Rel.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.