# NTSB ERA24LA277: Piper PA-28-151, N890MA, Fire Island, NY, June 24, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 24, 2024, 12:15 local (16:15 UTC) - Place: Fire Island, NY · Atlantique Beach - Coordinates: 40.64035, -73.171096 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6403&lon=-73.1711&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-climb to cruise: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 29, 2026 - 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): 194555 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA277 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194555/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194555 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA277 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Power plant](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057100): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-151, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057100/cases.md?model=7102805), [All aircraft, 198 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057100/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-climb to cruise: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-151, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=7102805), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-151, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7102805), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-151, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md?model=7102805), [All aircraft, 319 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md) ## Analysis During an instructional flight, after completing several maneuvers at 1,100 ft mean sea level (msl), the flight instructor told the student pilot to switch fuel tanks and climb to 2,000 ft msl. During the climb, the engine lost partial power. Shortly after, the flight instructor assumed control, and the engine lost all power. After unsuccessful attempts to regain engine power, which included use of the carburetor heat, the flight instructor executed a forced landing on a beach. During the landing, the instructor applied left aileron input in an attempt to avoid people on the beach, which resulted in the left wing impacting the ground, and the airplane came to rest upright on the beach. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and engine mount. Postaccident examination of the airplane, which included a successful test run of the engine, revealed no anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Weather conditions near the accident site were conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power; however, the reported loss of engine power occurred during a climb at higher power settings, where the probability of carburetor ice formation is reduced. Although carburetor ice could have developed earlier during lower power operations and become apparent during the climb, the available evidence was insufficient to determine whether carburetor ice accumulation contributed to the loss of engine power. ## Factual narrative On June 24, 2024, about 1215 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-151 airplane, N890MA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Fire Island, New York. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight instructor reported that the purpose of the flight was to perform private pilot maneuvers. The airplane departed about 35 minutes before the accident with 50 gallons of fuel. After completing several maneuvers at 1,100 ft msl, the flight instructor told the student pilot to switch fuel tanks and climb to 2,000 ft msl. During the climb, the airplane’s engine lost partial power. Shortly after, the flight instructor assumed control and the engine lost all power. After unsuccessful attempts to regain engine power, which included the use of carburetor heat, the flight instructor executed a forced landing to a beach about 14 miles southwest of Republic Airport (FRG), Farmingdale, New York. The flight instructor reported that, during the landing, she applied left aileron input in an attempt to avoid people on the beach, which resulted in the left wing impacting the ground. The airplane came to rest upright on the beach. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a FAA inspector found substantial damage to the engine mount and left wing. The left fuel tank was full of fuel, and the right fuel tank was approximately three quarters full. The fuel selector was positioned to the left fuel tank, and no anomalies were noted to the fuel system. Additional examinations, which included an engine test run performed at various power settings, revealed no anomalies. According to the carburetor icing probability chart contained in FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) CE-09-35, Carburetor Icing Prevention, the atmospheric conditions recorded at a station about 10 nautical miles northeast of the accident site were conducive to the development of serious carburetor icing at glide engine power settings. According to the airplane’s Pilot’s Operating Manual (POH), engine roughness is usually due to carburetor icing, which is indicated by a drop in rpm. If too much ice is allowed to accumulate, restoration of full engine power may not be possible; therefore, prompt application of carburetor heat is required. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N890MA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N890MA), registered now, S/N 28-7415492, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-151 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-151](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-151) (registry code 7102805) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-320-E3D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-320-e3d) (registry code 42127, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-7415492 - Year built: 1974 - Airframe hours: 4598.3 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-E3D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Icarus Flying Academy LLC - Registered owner: Icarus Flying Academy LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 4, 2024, 9 hours before - Departed: FRG, Farmingdale, NY - Airport: FGR, Republic Airport - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 29; injuries: none; flight instructor, private, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 27, 2023; seat: right; flight hours: 640 total, 273 in this make and model, 437 as pilot in command, 69 in the last 90 days, 57 in the last 30 days - Student pilot; age 19; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 8 total, 8 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 310° at 14 knots, gusting 26 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.60 inHg - Observed at: ISP, 10 nm away - METAR: KISP 241556Z 31014G26KT 10SM SCT055 27/13 A2960 RMK AO2 PK WND 29027/1529 SLP023 T02720128 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20240624012339I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240624012339I), Jun 24, 2024: Piper PA-28-151, Fire Island, NY, Minor damage. Acft was practicing private pilot maneuvers, starting with 'turns around a point' at 1100 feet near the lighthouse. After a few turns, acft turned east and… ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 22, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194555. 94.2 MB in all. - NTSB 6120 1 form (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19958185&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120%201%20Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 850 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19971415&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf - Mor examination summary FAA (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19956775&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Examination%20Summary%20FAA-Rel.pdf - Carburetor icing probability graph (item 4, PDF, 4 pages, 633 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19966156&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Carburetor%20Icing%20Probability%20Graph-Rel.pdf - POH excerpts (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 99 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19965808&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=POH%20Excerpts-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records (item 6, PDF, 4 pages, 88.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19958026&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Maintenance%20Records_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Wreckage release form (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 101 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19957500&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Wreckage%20Release%20Form_Redacted-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.