Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yonkers, New York 10701
Monday, January 2, 2006 11:52 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot and flight instructor were flying in the visual flight rules (VFR) corridor along the Hudson River. The airplane was in cruise flight about 900 feet agl, traveling north over the river when without warning, the engine sputtered and lost all power near the George Washington Bridge. The pilots did not hear any mechanical binding, and the propeller continued to turn while the engine sputtered. The flight instructor transmitted a distress signal, and took control of the airplane. An attempt to restart the engine was unsuccessful, and the flight instructor ditched the airplane in the Hudson River. Prior to takeoff, the private pilot had the airplane completely fueled. In addition, the airplane underwent a 100-hour inspection about 45 days prior to the accident. At that time, the airplane had accumulated 4,939 hours of operation. As of the publication date of this report, the wreckage had not been located.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a ditching.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/2/2006
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1152
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Yonkers
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 10701
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 405100N
Event Location Longitude 0735624W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1151 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID LGA
Elevation of weather observation facility 21
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.2
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21108
NTSB Notification Source FAA-EROC
NTSB Notification Date Jan 2 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 26 2007 9:33AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Farmingdale, NJ

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2759M
NTSB Number NYC06LA050
Missing Aircraft Indicator Y
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-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 7816307
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Nov 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4939
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Trinity Aviation Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Burlington Twp.
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 08016
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Kenmarson Aero Club
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Lumberton
Operator State NJ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 08048
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code VAY
Departure City Mount Holly
Departure State NJ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1050
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code N07
Destination City Lincoln Park
Destination State NJ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 3 2007 2:05PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --