Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Montauk Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Montauk, New York 11954
Monday, July 7, 2003 1:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Shortly after takeoff at night, the airplane impacted a pond approximately 1/4-mile east of the airport. There were no known eyewitnesses to the accident, and the airplane was found about 10 hours later. The airplane was oriented nose-down, partially submerged in 6 feet of brackish water. A fuel slick was observed on the water, and fueling records indicated the airplane was adequately fueled for the takeoff. Examination of the airframe did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions. The flaps were found in the full 40-degree extended position; however, the flap position at takeoff could not be verified. Subsequent examination of both engines did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions. The pilot had a total flight experience of approximately 900 hours; of which about 100 hours were at night and 475 hours were in the accident airplane.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of control during climb for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/7/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 130 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Montauk |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 11954 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 410446N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0715440W |
| Event Location Airport | Montauk Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MTP |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.25 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 90 |
| Airport Elevation | 7 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 156 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 10 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GON |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 10 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 20 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 8 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.92 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 3 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15744 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FRG FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 7 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1540 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 30 2004 12:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Farmingdale, NY |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5636V |
| NTSB Number | NYC03FA153 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-34-200T |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 34-7770255 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4570 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 25 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 41 |
| Airframe Hours | 7415 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Sena Corp. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Freeport |
| Aircraft Owner State | NY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 11520 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Robert J. Hecker |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Bellmore |
| Operator State | NJ |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 11710 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | MTP |
| Departure City | Montauk |
| Departure State | NY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 130 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | FRG |
| Destination City | Farmingdale |
| Destination State | NY |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 25 2004 3:47PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 6 |
| Runway Length | 3258 |
| Runway Width | 85 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |