Piper PA-32-300 accident near New York, New York, November 2, 1985
On November 2, 1985, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N4007W, was substantially damaged in an accident near New York, New York. 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).
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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 2, 1985
- Place
- New York, New York
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N4007W · no longer on the register · serial 32-40008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO PROVIDE THE STUDENT WITH NIGHT FLYING INSTRUCTION. THE PREFLIGHT AND RUN UP REVELAED NO DISCREPANCIES AND 10 QUARTS OF OIL WERE DETERMINED TO BE IN THE ENGINE. THE AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED SOUTH ALONG THE HUDSON RIVER UNTIL ABOUT 2 MILES SOUTH OF LIBERTY STATE PARK WHERE A LEFT TURN WAS ENTERED IN ORDER TO OBSERVE A FIREWORKS DISPLAY. AN ENGINE SURGE WAS EXPERIENCED DUE TO THE PROPELLER PITCH DECREASING AND THE PILOT NOTICED AN ODOR ASSOCIATED WITH A HOT ENGINE. THE PILOT NOTICED THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE READING OF ZERO AND CONTACTED NEWARK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO ADVISE THEM OF THE EMERGENCY. DURING THE FLIGHT TO NEWARK, THE ENGINE SEIZED AND THE PILOT DECIDED TO LAND PARALLEL TO THE SOUTHERN SHORE OF LIBERTY PARK IN THE WATER. AFTER THE DITCHING, THE COAST GUARD RESCUED THE TWO OCCUPANTS WHO HAD EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND WERE STANDING ON THE WINGS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 3,756 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 87 in the last 90 days; 3,489 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,181 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 29, 1985; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-KIA5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MMU Morristown NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.