# NTSB ERA23LA354: Piper PA-32-300, N405WB, Fishers Island, NY, August 18, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 18, 2023, 17:50 local (21:50 UTC) - Place: Fishers Island, NY · flat terrain dense brush. - Coordinates: 41.254632, -72.024732 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.2546&lon=-72.0247&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 192966 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA354 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192966/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192966 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA354 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined. Contributing was the pilot’s misjudgment of airspeed and altitude during the forced landing. ## 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: [Piper PA-32-300, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000/cases.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 110 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 23 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis About 40 minutes into the flight, while operating at 4,500 ft mean sea level (msl), the engine began to run “rough” and suddenly stopped producing power. The pilot immediately turned to a nearby airport that was only a few miles away. The propeller continued to windmill, but after troubleshooting he was unable to restart the engine; he began a left, spiraling descent to the runway. He misjudged the winds, and his speed and altitude were insufficient to land safely on the runway. He performed a forced landing short of the runway in dense brush, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. Postaccident examination of the engine and associated systems revealed no preimpact malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation and the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On August 18, 2023, about 1750 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300, N405WB, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Fishers Island, New York. The commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on-demand charter flight. According to the pilot, the flight was enroute from Martha's Vineyard Airport (MVY), Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts, to Montauk Airport (MTP), Montauk, New York, about a 70-nm flight along the southern coast of Connecticut. While cruising at an altitude of 4,500 ft msl, about 40 minutes into the flight, the engine started running “rough” for several seconds and then suddenly lost power. The pilot’s attempts to regain engine power were unsuccessful. The airplane had just passed over Elizabeth Field Airport (0B8), Fishers Island, New York, so the pilot diverted toward 0B8. Once over the east end of the airport, he performed a spiraling descent to lose altitude. After reaching 1,000 ft msl while on the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern for runway 30, he turned to the base leg but misjudged the altitude and the winds, which prevented the airplane from reaching the runway. The pilot made a forced landing short of the runway on the edge of a beach covered with dense brush. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the airframe and wings; the left landing gear had collapsed and there was buckling of the airframe. A subsequent examination revealed that all 3 propeller blades were bent slightly aft about the midspan point. The throttle, propeller, and mixture controls were actuated and they freely moved the cables and associated linkages to the engine. Compression and valvetrain continuity were established on each cylinder with corresponding compression achieved. Both magnetos were manually spun and there was normal firing of both magneto impulse couplings that produced spark at all the leads. All 12 spark plugs were noted to be in good condition. The fuel system, including the injectors, fuel flow manifold and selector revealed no anomalies. Fuel was present in the system, and it had the consistency and smell of 100 low-lead aviation fuel. The engine-driven fuel pump rotated freely with no binding or roughness noted. It showed some evidence of wear on the spline gear teeth and drive splines. The induction system was normal and the engine was well lubricated; there were 9 quarts of oil in the engine and the oil filter was examined, revealing no anomalies. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N405WB](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N405WB), registered now, S/N 32-7640043, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-300 - Registry model: [Piper PA-32-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (registry code 7103212) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32-7640043 - Year built: 1975 - Airframe hours: 16527 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-KIA5 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: New England Airlines Inc - Registered owner: New England Airlines Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, August 18, 2023, 3 hours before - Departed: MVY, Marthas Vinyard, MA - Destination: MTP, Montauk, NY - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: 0B8, Elizabeth Fld - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 71; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 10, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 3,007 total, 206 in this make and model, 2,725 as pilot in command, 80 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 12 knots, gusting 21 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.68 inHg - Observed at: GON, 5 nm away - METAR: METAR KGON 182156Z 25012G21KT 10SM CLR 26/16 A2968 RMK AO2 SLP050 T02560161= ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 26, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192966. 17.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17520628&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20report%20N405WB_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17521123&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation_FAA pmi (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 110 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16105102&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC_FAA%20Inspector_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records excerpt (item 4, PDF, 13 pages, 12.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17520489&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Maintenance%20Logs%20Excerpt_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's statement (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 167 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17523741&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N405WB%20Aircraft%20Examination%20Report-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 6, PDF, 5 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17522969&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Site%20and%20Damage%20Photographs_N405WB-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.