Piper PA-32-300 accident near Fishers Island, New York, August 18, 2023
On August 18, 2023 at about 9:50 pm local time, a 1975 Piper PA-32-300, registered N405WB, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Fishers Island, New York (Elizabeth Fld airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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 that could not be determined. Contributing was the pilot’s misjudgment of airspeed and altitude during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 2023 · about 9:50 pm local time · cases in 2023
- Place
- Fishers Island, New York · Elizabeth Fld · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300, built 1975 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N405WB · registry record · serial 32-7640043
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 40 minutes into the flight, while operating at 4,500 ft mean sea level (msl), the engine began to run “rough” and suddenly stopped producing power. The pilot immediately turned to a nearby airport that was only a few miles away. The propeller continued to windmill, but after troubleshooting he was unable to restart the engine; he began a left, spiraling descent to the runway. He misjudged the winds, and his speed and altitude were insufficient to land safely on the runway. He performed a forced landing short of the runway in dense brush, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. Postaccident examination of the engine and associated systems revealed no preimpact malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation and the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › (general) › Response/compensation
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,007 hours in all; 206 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 2,725 as pilot in command; 1,249 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 10, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,527 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 18, 2023; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-KIA5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: New England Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: MVY Marthas Vinyard MA at 9:10 pm
- Destination: MTP Montauk NY
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 12 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.68 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from GON, 5 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KGON 182156Z 25012G21KT 10SM CLR 26/16 A2968 RMK AO2 SLP050 T02560161=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of entire airplane wreckage as discovered.
Photograph 2 – View of left wing damage near wing root.
Photograph 3 – View of left side of fuselage buckling.
Photograph 4 – View looking forward from tail.The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on November 26, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation_faa Pmi | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Maintenance Records Excerpt | PDF, 13 pages | View Download |
| 5 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N405WB on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six, Lance and Saratoga 3,916 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,840 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-KIA5 4,223 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Elizabeth Field · nearest airport
- Martha'S Vineyard Airport · departed from
- Montauk Airport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in New York 1,964 since 1982 · 249 in the last ten years
- New York 6,659 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA23LA354.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.