Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Newburyport, Massachusetts 01950
Saturday, August 22, 1992 15:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS CRUISING 200 FEET OFFSHORE AT ABOUT 75 FEET ABOVE THE OCEAN, WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT SAID HE UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE DITCHING IN THE OCEAN. THE AIRPLANE SANK IN ABOUT 45 FEET OF WATER. THE AIRPLANE HAD NOT FLOWN IN OVER 2 YEARS, AND THE PILOT HAD NOT HAD THE AIRPLANE INSPECTED PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED ABOUT 5 YEARS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE FAA EXAMIONATION OF THE ENGINE DID NOT DISLCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANCIAL MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/22/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NEWBURYPORT
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01950
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 766
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 22 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1635
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48230
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3985W
NTSB Number NYC92LA173
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-32-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-260
Aircraft Serial Number 32-956
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 13 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALFRED L. MOSELEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address RFD #2
Aircraft Owner City BARRINGTON
Aircraft Owner State NH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 03825
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ALFRED L. MOSELEY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 7B3
Departure City HAMPTON
Departure State NH
Departure Country
Departure Time 1510
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BV4
Destination City BEVERLY
Destination State MA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise - normal
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --