Elizabeth Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fishers Island, New York 06390
Friday, August 5, 1983 21:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT HAD CALLED HIS HOME BASE & WAS TOLD THAT FOG WAS BEGINNING TO MOVE SHOREWARD & THAT THE INTENDED DESTINATION, (WATERFORD, CT) WOULD NOT REMAIN VFR FOR LONG. THE PLTS OF N6877J & ANOTHER ACFT CHOSE TO DEPART IMMEDIATELY. BEFORE ARRIVING, FOG HAD MOVED IN, SO THEY ELECTED TO DIVERT TO FISHERS ISLAND, NY. DURING THEIR ARRIVAL TO FISHERS ISLAND, THE PLT OF N6877J WAS LEADING. IT WAS A DARK NIGHT, BUT THE PLT OF THE FOLLOWING ACFT ESTIMATED THAT THE VISIBILITY IN THAT AREA WAS APRX 15 MI. WHILE THE PLT OF THE 2ND ACFT WAS STILL AT 3000 FT, HE OBSERVED N6877J ON A 1 MI BASE LEG FOR RWY 19 WHEN IT CRASHED. HE STATED THAT THE ACFT APPEARED TO DO A CARTWHEEL ON THE WATER WHEN IT IMPACTED. TWO ACFT WHEELS & THE PLTS BODY WERE RECOVERED, BUT THE MAIN WRECKAGE WAS NOT FOUND. THE ARPT WAS EQUIPPED WITH MEDIUM INTENSITY RWY LIGHTS, BUT THERE WERE NO VASI LIGHTS INSTALLED & NO INSTRUMENT APPROACH FOR THE ARPT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/5/1983
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2120
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FISHERS ISLAND
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 06390
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ELIZABETH FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 0B8
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 300
Airport Elevation 9
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2145 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 355
Weather Observation Facility ID GON
Elevation of weather observation facility 10
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2161
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22505
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6877J
NTSB Number NYC83FA203
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-76990418
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 15 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 4423
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name YANKEE AIRWAYS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address WATERFORD AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City WATERFORD
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06385
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 Yes - certificate holder
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BID
Departure City BLOCK ISLAND
Departure State RI
Departure Country
Departure Time 2100
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 7B8
Destination City WATERFORD
Destination State CT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 12
Runway Length 2850
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --