Piper PA-25-235 accident near Westerly, Rhode Island, July 23, 2012
On July 23, 2012 at about 7:02 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N7313Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Westerly, Rhode Island. It was a banner-towing flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined due to the postaccident salt water-damaged state of the engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2012 · about 7:02 pm local time
- Place
- Westerly, Rhode Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235 · all PA-25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N7313Z · registry record · serial 25-3245
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Banner-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 12 minutes into a local banner towing flight, while flying 650 feet above the ocean, the airplane’s engine began running roughly. The pilot responded by increasing the throttle to full, richening the mixture, and applying carburetor heat, all to no avail. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost power completely, so the pilot performed a forced landing to the ocean and was later rescued by civilian boaters. The airplane was recovered from the ocean more than 1 week after the accident. The pilot/operator was able to perform a cursory inspection of the engine at the time, but no definitive cause for the loss of power was identified. Due to the salt water-damaged state of the engine, no further detailed examination could be completed. At the time of the accident, the engine had accumulated nearly 2,300 hours since its most recent overhaul and 150 hours since its most recent annual inspection. Weather conditions at an airport 6 miles from the accident location were conducive to the formation of serious carburetor ice at glide power settings.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Ditching during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,175 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 8,350 as pilot in command; 1,940 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 1, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,870 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2011; 150 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Simmons Aviation Services
The flight
- Departed from: WST Westerly RI at 6:45 pm
- Destination: WST Westerly RI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from WST, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N7313Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA12LA474.