Cessna 182B accident near East Moriches, New York, August 6, 2005
On August 6, 2005 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182B, registered N2422G, was substantially damaged in an accident near East Moriches, New York (Spadaro airport). It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper installation of the right magneto harness to the magneto housing by unidentified maintenance personnel, which resulted in arcing, significant wear, and a subsequent loss of engine power. Factors in the accident were the pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point during the landing, and a tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 2005 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- East Moriches, New York · Spadaro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182B · all 182Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2422G · no longer on the register · serial 51722
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane took off with its third lift of skydivers for the day. The engine began to run roughly at rotation, and due to the speed of the airplane, and the lack of remaining runway, the pilot elected to continue the takeoff. The pilot initially turned toward a public roadway for a forced landing, but the airplane continued to climb under partial power, so he maneuvered back to the airport for a downwind landing on the runway. The airplane touched down between one-third and one-half of the way down the runway with an estimated 15-knot tailwind, and continued off of the departure end where it struck a fence and came to rest. The engine started and ran on the airframe, but further examination revealed that the number 2 cylinder produced no compression, and that filters, screens, and an oil sample contained high concentrations of ferrous and non-ferrous metal. Disassembly of the engine did not reveal the source of the metal. Disassembly of the left magneto and examination of the harness revealed that the top number 5 cylinder spark plug harness electrode was torn, melted, and bent 90 degrees. Examination of the magneto towers showed that the top number 5 cylinder tower and the bottom number 2 cylinder tower were burned through and displayed evidence of arcing. The distributor gear pointer was loose in its mount, and the distributor block contactors were excessively worn. The associated material from the pointer and the contactors coated the inside of the magneto. Examination of the engine log revealed that the engine had accumulated 369 total hours since major overhaul.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,038 hours in all; 543 in this make and model; 68 in the last 30 days; 959 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,925 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2005; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O 470L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1N2 East Moriches NY at 2:55 pm
- Destination: 1N2
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,200 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from HWV, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.
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.