Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jersey City, New Jersey 07301
Sunday, July 13, 1997 11:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed in a Piper PA-28-181 with full tanks. After flying for 2.2 hours, the engine lost power and the pilot ditched the airplane in the Hudson River. When interviewed he reported that he had not switched tanks. The FAA reported that after the airplane was recovered from the river, the right tank was full of fuel, and the left tank had about 5 gallons of water, and less than half a cup of fuel. The fuel selector was found set to the left tank.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's mismangement of the fuel supply, by which he failed to switched fuel tanks, which resulted in fuel starvation and the loss of engine power.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/13/1997
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1105
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City JERSEY CITY
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 07301
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1051 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID EWR
Elevation of weather observation facility 18
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 413
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 13 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N84611
NTSB Number NYC97LA142
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8290058
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 27 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 7417
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KENNETH FORESTER INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 840 INDUSTRIAL AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City TETERBORO
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07608
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MILLION AIR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code N12
Departure City LAKEWOOD
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TEB
Destination City TETERBORO
Destination State NJ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --