- Date
- May 12, 1990, 00:00 local (04:00 UTC)
- Place
- Davis Park, NY
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Unknown
- Aircraft
- N7SFBellanca 17-31A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900512017009A
- Case key
- 36555
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The airplane impacting the water at a high speed for unknown reason(s).
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The weather was VFR throughout the area when the airplane departed on what was to have been a local area training flight for the U.S. Coast guard auxiliary. There was no further contact with the airplane, and it was reported overdue about 6 hrs after takeoff. Recorded radar data showed that the airplane had flown out over the ocean after takeoff, and after some maneuvering reversed course. At no time was the airplane above 500 ft MSL. On 5/13 parts of the airplane were found washed up on a beach. Two passenger bodies were recovered; the pilot and the remaining passenger were not. Injuries are presumed. Examination of the wreckage indicated that the airplane had impacted the water at high speed while structurally intact. The pilot had reportedly suffered a head injury within the previous 48 hrs, and had been complaining of pain on the left side of his head.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7SF
- Reported as
- Bellanca 17-31A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 73-32-114
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1E5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public aircraft · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Invictus Flying Club, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 24, 1990
- Departed
- FRG · Farmingdale, NY
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 825 total · 20 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FRG, 15 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.