Cessna 305A accident near East Moriches, New York, August 24, 1984
On August 24, 1984 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Cessna 305A, registered N5291G, was substantially damaged in an accident near East Moriches, New York (Spadaro'S airport). It was an other work-use 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 1984 · about 8:45 pm local time · cases in 1984
- Place
- East Moriches, New York · Spadaro'S · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 305A · all 305As on the register
- Registration
- N5291G · registry record · serial 23413
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE COMPLETION OF A BANNER TOW FLT THE BANNER WAS RELEASED AND A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN TO DOWNWIND WAS INITIATED. A LOSS OF POWER WAS EXPERIENCED ON DOWNWIND. UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE ARPT TO LAND, A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A WOODED AREA. INVESTIGATORS FOUND 1.5 GALS OF FUEL IN THE RT TANK AND 8.5 GALS IN THE LT TANK. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, ABOUT 10 MINUES BEFORE DROPPING THE BANNER HE HAD INTENTIONALLY RUN THE RT TANK DRY. THE LT TANK WAS THEN SELECTED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND; THE ENGINE WAS SUCCESSFULLY TEST RUN AFTER RECOVERY OF THE WRECKAGE.
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
- Flight time: 1,570 hours in all; 86 in this make and model; 91 in the last 90 days; 1,482 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,808 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 1, 1984; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,830 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470-11B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: East Moriches NY
- Destination: East Moriches NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 2,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 18 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N5291G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N5291G on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 305 202 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental IO-470-11B 4,724 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in New York 1,964 since 1982 · 249 in the last ten years
- New York 6,658 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N5291G 3 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/NYC84FHJ02.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.