Piper PA-23-250 accident near East Hampton, New York, October 6, 1993
On October 6, 1993 at about 4:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N10GL, was destroyed in an accident near East Hampton, New York (East Hampton airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADVERTENT FEATHERING OF BOTH PROPELLERS BY THE STUDENT PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF POWER, AND FAILURE (OR INABILITY) OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) TO ATTAIN REMEDIAL ACTION. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE STUDENT PILOT'S HABIT INTERFERENCE, CONCERNING THE DIFFERENT POSITION OF THE ENGINE CONTROLS IN THIS AIRPLANE, AS COMPARED THE THE PREVIOUS AIRPLANE THAT HE HAD FLOWN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 1993 · about 4:35 pm local time
- Place
- East Hampton, New York · East Hampton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N10GL · registry record · serial 27-7854100
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT, INVOLVING AN INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT, CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA ABOUT A MILE SOUTHEAST OF RUNWAY 28 AT EAST HAMPTON AIRPORT. THE PILOT RADIOED 10 MILES WEST OF THE AIRPORT, REQUESTED, AND RECEIVED AIRPORT ADVISORIES. NO OTHER KNOWN RADIO CALLS WERE MADE BY THE PILOT. A WITNESS NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE, FIRST HEARD AN AIRPLANE; LATER, HE HEARD THE ENGINE SOUNDS STOP. AFTER ABOUT ANOTHER 40 SECONDS, HE HEARD THE SOUND OF A CRASH. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT BOTH PROPELLERS WERE FEATHERED; AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE STUDENT WAS A 3500 HOUR COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT WHO WAS TRAINING FOR A MULTIENGINE RATING. THE INVESTIGATION ALSO REVEALED THAT ON PREVIOUS TRAINING FLIGHTS, THE STUDENT HAD DEMONSTRATED A LACK OF PROFICIENCY IN THE PERFORMANCE OF SIMULATED INSTRUMENT AND EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. ALSO, THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE STUDENT HAD PREVIOUSLY FLOWN A BEECH 95, WHICH HAD REVERSE PLACEMENT OF THROTTLES, PROPS, AND MIXTURE CONTROLS.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,650 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ISP Islip NY at 3:40 pm
- Destination: ISP
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 4,242 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:40 pm from FOK, 9 miles away
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.