Piper PA-32-260 accident near Block Island, Rhode Island, March 25, 2026
On March 25, 2026 at about 8:51 pm local time, a 1971 Piper PA-32-260, registered N7081H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Block Island, Rhode Island (Block Island State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
Maintenance personnel’s failure to ensure that the throttle cable was properly secured to the carburetor, which resulted an inflight separation of the throttle cable and the pilots’ inability to control the engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 2026 · about 8:51 pm local time
- Place
- Block Island, Rhode Island · Block Island State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260, built 1971 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N7081H · registry record · serial 32-7100028
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilots reported that they were unable to change engine power via the throttle while attempting to land, which resulted in an off-airport landing. During the landing the airplane’s left wing was substantially damaged. One of the pilots described that this was the second flight of the airplane after it had undergone extensive maintenance, which included installing a newly overhauled engine and an annual inspection. Postaccident examination of the engine found the hardware used to connect the throttle cable to the carburetor was missing. A review of maintenance records revealed that the throttle control was rigged during the annual inspection. The mechanic who signed off the annual inspection said that he and several other mechanics had conducted extensive maintenance on the airplane, and they had most likely forgotten to install the cotter pin that would have secured the throttle cable to the carburetor. Given this information, it is likely that the throttle cable detached from the carburetor during the flight, which resulted in the the pilots being unable to control engine power, and the subsequent off airport landing.
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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during landing defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel control/carburetor › Inadequate inspection
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,820 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 156 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 2,654 as pilot in command; 1,116 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 10, 2026
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 215 hours in all; 113 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 131 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 30, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,340.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 17, 2026; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 2 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CQX Chatham MA at 8:04 pm
- Destination: BID Block Island RI
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.33 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from KBID, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KBID 251956Z AUTO 20010KT 10SM CLR 06/M01 A3033 RMK AO2 SLP272 T00561011 PNO $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
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 ERA26LA151.