Piper PA-25 accident near Cape May, New Jersey, July 5, 2005
On July 5, 2005 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-25, registered N6289Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cape May, New Jersey (Cape May County Airport). 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 partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain to perform a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2005 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cape May, New Jersey · Cape May County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25 · all PA-25s on the register
- Registration
- N6289Z · no longer on the register · serial L-13379
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Banner-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After conducting preflight inspection and fueling the airplane, the pilot departed the airport and picked up the banner. While in cruise flight the airplane began to lose altitude. The pilot attempted to correct for the altitude loss by applying full power, but the airplane continued to descend. After a period of time, the airplane's descent ceased, and it flew normally. The pilot was not alarmed by this event because he often encountered downdrafts in the area. Later, the airplane again began to lose altitude. The pilot applied full power, adjusted the engine controls, released the banner, and configured the airplane in various combinations of airspeed and angle of attack, all having little affect on the descent rate. Due to the number of persons on the beach, the pilot elected to ditch the airplane in the Atlantic Ocean. The airplane subsequently sank, and was not recovered.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,305 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 96 in the last 30 days; 1,084 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,252 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2004; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JY04 Green Creek NJ at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 13 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from WWD, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 N6289Z 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.