# NTSB NYC94LA184: Cessna 180B, N5112E, East Moriches, NY, September 28, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 28, 1994, 19:45 local (23:45 UTC) - Place: East Moriches, NY - Coordinates: 40.810844, -72.759178 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8108&lon=-72.7592&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured; on the ground: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report January 26, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38836 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC94LA184 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38836/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC94LA184 ## Probable cause THE FAILURE OF THE PEDESTRIAN TO STAY CLEAR OF THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. A FACTOR WAS NIGHT CONDITIONS. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water collision with object, takeoff - light condition - night (contributing factor) - procedures/directives - not followed, other person (cause) ## Analysis ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS ON A NIGHT FLIGHT, AND HE WAS JUST ABOUT TO LIFT OFF ON HIS TAKEOFF RUN WHEN AN OBJECT APPEARED TO THE RIGHT OF THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE THEN APPLIED MAXIMUM BACK PRESSURE TO AVOID THE OBJECT. HE FELT A THUD ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT CONCENTRATED ON KEEPING THE AIRCRAFT AIRBORNE. HE CHECKED FLIGHT CONTROLS, ALL CHECKED OUT. HE THEN FLEW AROUND THE AIRPORT TO CHECK BUT DID NOT SEE ANYTHING ON THE RUNWAY SURFACE FOR THE OBJECT, SEEING NOTHING HE PROCEEDED ON TO THE DESTINATION. UPON ARRIVAL HE WAS NOTIFIED THAT IT WAS A PEDESTRIAN HE HAD STRUCK. ## Factual narrative On September 28, 1994, at 1945 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 180B airplane, a personal flight, struck and seriously injured a pedestrian during takeoff on runway 01, at Spadaro Airport, East Moriches, New York. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was not damaged. Visual meteorological conditions existed, and no flight plan was filed. The destination of the flight was Islip, New York. The flight was operated under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, "Just prior to lift off an object appeared just right of the nose of the aircraft. At that point I applied maximum back pressure to the yoke in an attempt to clear the object. As the aircraft began to lift off I heard a loud thud come from the underside of the aircraft." The pilot reported he continued his flight to Islip Airport and landed without further incident. He stated that upon landing he felt a slight vibration. During post flight examination he noticed the bottom, and right forward fuselage skin was wrinkled. At this time he was notified that the object on the runway was a person. According to the pilot the airport is not equipped with runway lighting. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5112E](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5112E), registered now, S/N 50412, built 1958 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 180B - Registry model: [Cessna 180B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180b) (registry code 2072606) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18050412 - Airframe hours: 1484 - Engines: CONTINENTAL O-470-K 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: No damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Frederick B. Spadaro - Registered owner: Vincent Landolfi - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 1, 1994, 8 hours before - Destination: ISP, ISLIP, NY - Airport: 1N2, Spadaro Airport, runway 1, 2,100 × 25 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 6,662 total, 185 in this make and model, 6,280 as pilot in command, 69 in the last 90 days, 26 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Visibility: 4 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F - Observed at: FOK ## 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 19940928038039A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940928038039A), Sep 28, 1994: Cessna 180B, East Moriches, NY. Saw object on runway. Lifted to avoid. Heard thump. Landing destination found damage. Advised thump was a person. ## Other investigations on N5112E (1) 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. - [NTSB WPR13LA414](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA414), Sep 16, 2013: Cessna 180 - B (N5112E), Redmond, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inability to counter an unexpected wind gust after touchdown, which resulted in a loss of directional control. 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.