Cessna 182A accident near East Moriches, New York, August 14, 1993
On August 14, 1993 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N5010D, was destroyed in an accident near East Moriches, New York (Spadaro airport). It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 4 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO A FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE NO.3 PISTON. THE FATIGUE FAILURE WAS A RESULT OF INADEQUATE MANUFACTURING. IN ADDITION, THE PILOT MADE AN IMPROPER DECISION DURING THE FORCED LANDING IN ATTEMPTING TO STRETCH HIS APPROACH IN ORDER TO REACH THE RUNWAY INSTEAD OF LANDING IN TERRAIN ADJACENT TO THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. AS A RESULT, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND IT STALLED ONTO THE RUNWAY. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE OVERGROSS WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 1993 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- East Moriches, New York · Spadaro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 4 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N5010D · no longer on the register · serial 51110
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PASSENGERS(PARACHUTISTS) REPORTED THAT AFTER THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE THEY HEARD 'BACKFIRING', A 'BANG' AND '....SAW WHITE SMOKE...' THE JUMPMASTER REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE QUIT AFTER THE AIRPLANE TURNED DOWNWIND. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO LOSE ALTITUDE ON DOWNWIND AND DURING THE TURN TO THE RUNWAY. IT CROSSED THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY AT A 45-DEG ANGLE AND DRAGGED A WING ON THE RUNWAY, COMING TO REST NEXT TO THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DISCLOSED THAT THE SKIRT ON THE #3 PISTON (SUPERIOR AIR PARTS P/N 626992) HAD FAILED UP TO THE LOWER RING GROVE. THE REMAINING PISTONS HAD CRACKS WHICH WERE ORIENTATED ON THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE PISTON, 90 DEG TO THE WRIST PIN. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE PISTONS SHOWED SHARP CORNERS ON THE INSIDE OF THE SKIRT, AND SURFACE SHRINKAGE CAVITIES IN THE SHARP CORNERS OF THE MOLD WHICH WERE THE SOURCE OF THE FATIGUE CRACKS OBSERVED IN THE REMAINING PISTONS. THE AIRPLANE WAS AT LEAST 40 LBS OVER ITS MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE TAKEOFF WEIGHT.
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: 320 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,394 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 5, 1993; 116 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Skydive Long Island, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 1N2 at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,200 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from FOK, 6 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.
Other NTSB records under N5010D 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.