Piper PA-28-151 accident near Fire Island, New York, June 24, 2024
On June 24, 2024 at about 4:15 pm local time, a 1974 Piper PA-28-151, registered N890MA, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Fire Island, New York (Republic Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 2024 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Fire Island, New York · Republic Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151, built 1974 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N890MA · registry record · serial 28-7415492
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional flight, after completing several maneuvers at 1,100 ft mean sea level (msl), the flight instructor told the student pilot to switch fuel tanks and climb to 2,000 ft msl. During the climb, the engine lost partial power. Shortly after, the flight instructor assumed control, and the engine lost all power. After unsuccessful attempts to regain engine power, which included use of the carburetor heat, the flight instructor executed a forced landing on a beach. During the landing, the instructor applied left aileron input in an attempt to avoid people on the beach, which resulted in the left wing impacting the ground, and the airplane came to rest upright on the beach. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and engine mount. Postaccident examination of the airplane, which included a successful test run of the engine, revealed no anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Weather conditions near the accident site were conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power; however, the reported loss of engine power occurred during a climb at higher power settings, where the probability of carburetor ice formation is reduced. Although carburetor ice could have developed earlier during lower power operations and become apparent during the climb, the available evidence was insufficient to determine whether carburetor ice accumulation contributed to the loss of engine power.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing (landing roll)
- Unknown or undetermined during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 640 hours in all; 273 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 437 as pilot in command; 265 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 27, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 8 hours in all; 8 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,598.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 4, 2024; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 4,598 hours total
- Operator: Icarus Flying Academy LLC
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 3:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 14 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.60 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 am from ISP, 10 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KISP 241556Z 31014G26KT 10SM SCT055 27/13 A2960 RMK AO2 PK WND 29027/1529 SLP023 T02720128
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on April 22, 2026. 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 | NTSB 6120 1 Form | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Mor Examination Summary FAA | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Carburetor Icing Probability Graph | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | POH Excerpts | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Wreckage Release Form | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ERA24LA277.