Cessna 305 accident near Narragansett, Rhode Island, July 4, 2016
On July 4, 2016 at about 4:50 pm local time, a 1953 Cessna 305, registered N5291G, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Narragansett, Rhode Island. It was a banner-towing 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
A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined during a postaccident examination of the airframe and engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2016 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Narragansett, Rhode Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 305, built 1953 · all 305s on the register
- Registration
- N5291G · registry record · serial 23413
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Banner-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot performed a preflight inspection and sampled the fuel with no anomalies noted. He then departed on the flight with 5 hours of available fuel. About 3.5 hours into the flight, the airplane was flying about 500 ft over the ocean when the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot performed a forced landing to the water, subsequently egressed, and was rescued a brief time later. Examination of the engine after recovery revealed no obvious signs of mechanical anomalies with the engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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 maneuvering defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Ditching during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 850 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,969.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,101 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470-11B (piston); 638 hours total
- Operator: Simmons Aviation Services LLC
The flight
- Departed from: WST Westerly RI
- Destination: WST Westerly RI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from UUU, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N5291G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.