Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Island, New York 14072
Tuesady, May 21, 1985 10:55 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLT HAD BEEN ON A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING TOUR OVER THE NIAGARA FALLS. THE PLT THEN STATED THAT HE WAS GOING TO GIVE HIS PAX A DEMONSTRATION OF HOW FAST THE ACFT APPEARS TO BE TRAVELING WHEN IT IS CLOSE TO THE WATER. THE PLT THEN BEGAN A LEFT DESCENDING TURN OVER THE NIAGARA RIVER. THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT PAX STATED THAT HE TURNED IN HIS SEAT TO SPEAK TO HIS WIFE & THE NEXT THING HE KNEW, HE WAS IN THE WATER. WITNESSES IN THE AREA OBSERVED THE ACFT IN A LEFT DESCENDING TURN OVER THE RIVER WHICH CONTINUED UNTIL THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE WATER & THE ACFT CARTWHEELED DISINTEGRATING ON IMPACT. THE SURVIVING PAX & WITNESSES STATED THE ENG SOUNDED NORMAL UNTIL IMPACT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/21/1985
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1055
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GRAND ISLAND
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 14072
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 5
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1055 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID IAG
Elevation of weather observation facility 724
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 837
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 21 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1215
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28065
Date of most recent change to record Sep 25 2006 3:58PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N756ZM
NTSB Number NYC85FA131
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model TR-182
Aircraft Series Identifier TR-182
Aircraft Serial Number R18201203
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 8 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 1277
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JACK BAUGH, CLARENCE ZINGG
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1034 WESTBROOK
Aircraft Owner City CORONA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91720
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
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 IAG
Departure City NIAGARA FALLS
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --