# NTSB NYC04LA156: Cessna 182Q, N6550F, Brighton Beach, NY, July 4, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 4, 2004, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC) - Place: Brighton Beach, NY - Coordinates: 40.572498, -73.918334 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5725&lon=-73.9183&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 24, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO-15 - NTSB case key (mKey): 59548 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC04LA156 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59548/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC04LA156 ## Probable cause A partial loss of engine power during cruise flight for undetermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(partial) - mech failure/malf, cruise - normal - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Ditching, descent - emergency - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - emergency - terrain condition - water ## Analysis The airplane was towing a banner approximately 300 feet above the water. The engine began to run rough, vibrate, and there was a decrease in oil pressure. The pilot released the banner and attempted to divert to an airport. The pilot also attempted to correct the rough running engine. However, the engine continued to run rough, and the pilot was unable to maintain altitude. He subsequently ditched the airplane and exited before it sank. The airplane was recovered, but the engine was not located. ## Factual narrative On July 4, 2004, about 1600 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182Q, N6550F, was substantially damaged while ditching, following a partial loss of engine power near Brighton Beach, New York. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Lakewood Airport, Lakewood, New Jersey; destined for Francis S Gabreski Airport, Westhampton Beach, New York. No flight plan was filed for the commercial banner tow flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot reported that he was towing a banner approximately 300 feet above the water near the shore. The airplane engine began to run rough, vibrate, and the pilot noticed a decrease in oil pressure. The pilot then released the banner and attempted to fly to Floyd Bennett Field. He turned the carburetor heat on, and positioned the throttle, mixture, and propeller levers full forward. The pilot also moved the fuel selector from "BOTH" to "LEFT," and "RIGHT," and back to "BOTH." However, the engine continued to run rough. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude, and ditched in Jamaica Bay. Following the ditching, the pilot exited the airplane before it sank. The pilot further stated that he did not attempt a landing on the beach because it was heavily populated. The pilot believed the loss of engine power was related to the mechanical vibration within the engine. The airplane had accumulated approximately 30 hours of operation, since the last annual inspection performed on January 6, 2004. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported that the airplane was recovered, but the engine was not located. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6550F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6550F-2017-06-30), registration cancelled 2017-06-30, S/N 18265953, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 182Q - 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: 18265953 - Airframe hours: 3389 - Engines: Continental O-470-U 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Other work use, Part 91 - Registered owner: Aerial Sign Company Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 6, 2004, 30 hours before - Departed: N12, Lakewood, NJ - Destination: FOK, Westhampton, NY ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 25; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review October 31, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 400 total, 15 in this make and model, 300 as pilot in command, 100 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 15 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: JFK, 5 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 20040704022409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040704022409A), Jul 4, 2004: Cessna 182Q, Brooklyn, NY, Substantial damage. (-23) Original written statement from the pilot of the Cessna 182Q (N6550F) banner tow aircraft that crashed off manhatten beach, Brooklyn, new york on July 4,… 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.