- Date
- October 25, 1993, 19:55 local (23:55 UTC)
- Place
- Centreville, MD
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N16493Piper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19931025052309A
- Case key
- 38711
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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
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
After one and one half hours into the flight the pilot switched from the right fuel tank to left tank. The engine started to run rough then lose power. The pilot was not able to correct the problem, and he could not maintain altitude. The airplane descended until it impacted in 20 to 30 feet of water and sank. The airplane was not recovered from the water, and the reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.
Factual narrative
HISTORY of FLIGHT
On Monday, October 25, 1993, at about 2045 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N16493, piloted by Mr. Rudy Fanari, collided with water during a forced landing near Centerville, Maryland. The airplane was destroyed, and the pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR 91.
The airplane's engine lost power for unknown reasons, and the pilot made a forced landing in the Chester River, 200 yards off Spanish Point, in 20 to 30 feet of water.
According to the pilot's statement on the NTSB form 6120.1/2, after approximately one and a half hours of flight time, he switched fuel tanks from the right tank to the left tank. After switching tanks the engine started to run rough for approximately 2 minutes, and the pilot could not maintain altitude. The pilot said he checked gauges,switches and fuel, but could not determine the problem. The engine continued to lose power until the airplane impacted the water.
Several witness standing on the shore near the crash site heard:
...a loud roaring noise...over the river and no lights were visible...we all witnessed the sound, but could not determine if the noise was a boat or airplane. The object seemed out of control.
Additional information
The airplane was not recovered from the water and the reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N16493
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7305269
- Airframe hours
- 4,412
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Seth Koch Leasing
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 24, 1993 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- FDK · Fredrick, MD
- Destination
- ESN · Easton, MD
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
- 53
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 750 total · 10 in this make and model · 675 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 280° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BWI, 20 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.