Piper PA-30 accident near Sandy Hook, New Jersey, June 30, 1994
On June 30, 1994 at about 11:30 am local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N7041Y, was destroyed in an accident near Sandy Hook, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for reasons undetermined and the inability of the pilot to feather the propeller.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 1994 · about 11:30 am local time
- Place
- Sandy Hook, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7041Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-44
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, THE NUMBER ONE ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE NOISES. THE ENGINE THEN LOST TOTAL POWER. THE PILOT'S ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO FEATHER THE PROPELLER. THE PILOT STATED, 'NOISE AND VIBRATION GOT STRONGER. SHUT DOWN NUMBER 1 [ENGINE]. PROPELLER WOULD NOT FEATHER....COULD NOT HOLD ALTITUDE OR AIRSPEED....' THE PILOT DITCHED THE AIRPLANE IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN NEAR SHADY SIDE, NEW JERSEY. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET OF WATER, AND WAS NOT RECOVERED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 1,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2W6 Leonardtown MD at 11:00 am
- Destination: HTO East Hampton NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 13,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.