Champion CITABRIA 7-GCBC accident near Fire Island, New York, August 28, 1993
On August 28, 1993 at about 7:35 pm local time, a Champion CITABRIA 7-GCBC, registered N5029L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fire Island, New York. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE #4 CYLINDER VALVE STEM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 1993 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Fire Island, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion CITABRIA 7-GCBC CITABRIA 7
- Registration
- N5029L · no longer on the register · serial 1061-78
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING AT 1300 FT ABOVE THE WATER, A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED. APPLICATION OF FULL THROTTLE, CARBURETOR HEAT AND MIXTURE TO RICH DID NOT RESTORE POWER. TO AVOID HITTING PEOPLE ON THE BEACH WITH THE BANNER, THE PILOT DESCENDED TO 400 FT TO DROP THE BANNER. DUE TO THE BEACH CROWD HE ALSO ELECTED TO MAKE A WATER LANDING. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE #4 CYLINDER VALVE STEM HAD BROKEN. THE FACE OF THE VALVE WAS FOUND IN THE MUFFLER.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,480 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 2,374 as pilot in command; 106 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,838 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 28, 1993; 192 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HWV Brookhaven NY at 4:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from ISP, 10 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.
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.