# NTSB NYC01LA187: Piper PA-32R-301T, N4159V, Sandy Hook, NJ, July 25, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 24, 2001, 21:30 local (Jul 25, 2001, 01:30 UTC) - Place: Sandy Hook, NJ - Coordinates: 40.399433, -73.98986 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.3994&lon=-73.9899&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 1, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO-25 - NTSB case key (mKey): 52813 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC01LA187 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52813/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC01LA187 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - normal - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Ditching, emergency landing ## Analysis The fuel tanks were filled to capacity (102 gallons useable), and the pilot departed about 1915. Prior to reaching his first intended airport, the pilot switched from the right fuel tank to the left fuel tank. He then performed one practice instrument approach, and flew toward the second intended airport. About 2 hours 5 minutes into the flight, at 4,500 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, the engine lost all power. The pilot turned toward the nearest airport, transmitted an emergency distress message on 121.5 Mhz, and tried an engine restart using the emergency procedures. The pilot was unable to restart the engine, and he ditched in the Atlantic Ocean. Due to the depth of water, the wreckage was not recovered. The pilot reported that there was no sputtering or roughness with the engine prior to the total loss of engine power. He further stated that he had plenty of fuel on board, and usually burned 17-18 gallons-per-hour in cruise flight at 4,500 feet msl. ## Factual narrative On July 24, 2001, about 2130 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-301T, N4159V, was substantially damaged while ditching in the Atlantic Ocean about 25 miles southeast of Sandy Hook, New Jersey. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Essex County Airport (CDW), Caldwell, New Jersey, about 1915. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. While driving to the airport, the pilot telephoned the fixed base operator and requested that the fuel tanks be "topped off." The pilot then flew from CDW to Block Island State Airport (BID), Rhode Island. Before reaching BID, the pilot switched the fuel selector handle from "RIGHT" to "LEFT", and performed one practice instrument approach to runway 28. After the approach, he flew to the East Hampton VOR, and then along victor route 139 (V139) toward Robert J. Miller Airport (MJX), Toms River, New Jersey. While en route at 4,500 feet msl, near the PLUME intersection, the engine lost all power. The pilot turned toward the nearest airport, transmitted an emergency distress message on 121.5 Mhz, and attempted an engine restart using the emergency procedures. The pilot was unable to restart the engine, and he ditched in the Atlantic Ocean. After approximately 5-7 minutes in the water, the airplane sank. The pilot was rescued, but due to the depth of water in which the airplane sank, the insurance company did not recover the wreckage. The pilot added that there was no sputtering or roughness with the engine prior to the total loss of engine power. He further stated that he had plenty of fuel on board, and usually burned 17-18 gallons-per-hour in cruise flight at 4,500 feet msl. Fueling records revealed that 75.6 gallons of 100LL were added to the accident airplane on the day of the accident. The airplane was equipped with two fuel tanks, one in each wing, and each tank consisted of two fuel cells. The total fuel capacity of the airplane was 107 gallons, of which, 102 gallons were useable. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4159V](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4159V-2017-02-16), registration cancelled 2017-02-16, S/N 3257117, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-32R-301T - Registry model: [Piper PA-32R-301T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-301t) (registry code 7103220) (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: 3257117 - Airframe hours: 251 - Engines: Lycoming TIO-540 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: William L. Teubner - Registered owner: Kristomatt Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 7, 2000, 69 hours before - Departed: CDW, Caldwell, NJ - Destination: MJX, Toms River, NJ - Airport: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review April 14, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 490 total, 206 in this make and model, 395 as pilot in command, 26 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 200° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.85 inHg - Observed at: JFK, 38 nm away ## 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 20010724022239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010724022239A), Jul 24, 2001: Piper PA32R301T, Sandy Hook, NJ, No damage. (-23) Pilot flew from cdw to block island and then to mjx miller airport 25 miles east southeast of Sandy Hook, NJ. The engine stopped. Tried several times to… 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.