Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA-32-300 near Fishers Island, NY — 2023-08-18

Final reportERA23LA354
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Date
2023-08-18
Location
Fishers Island, NY, USA
Airport
0B8
Aircraft
PIPER PA-32-300
Registration
N405WB
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Cruise

Probable cause

The loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined. Contributing was the pilot’s misjudgment of airspeed and altitude during the forced landing.

Contributing factors

Contributing was the pilot’s misjudgment of airspeed and altitude during the forced landing.

NTSB narrative

About 40 minutes into the flight, while operating at 4,500 ft mean sea level (msl), the engine began to run “rough” and suddenly stopped producing power. The pilot immediately turned to a nearby airport that was only a few miles away. The propeller continued to windmill, but after troubleshooting he was unable to restart the engine; he began a left, spiraling descent to the runway. He misjudged the winds, and his speed and altitude were insufficient to land safely on the runway. He performed a forced landing short of the runway in dense brush, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. Postaccident examination of the engine and associated systems revealed no preimpact malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation and the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have diverted to a closer airport sooner after engine issues began.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 6 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents6

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