Cessna 182A N5010D

Summary

On 14 August 1993 at about 23:30 local time, a Cessna 182A registered N5010D, operated by Skydive Long Island, Inc., was involved in an accident near East Moriches, New York, United States. 5 people were on board and one died, 4 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 August 1993 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

East Moriches, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Spadaro (1N2)

Coordinates

40.8103, -72.7593

Aircraft

Cessna 182A

Registration

N5010D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Skydive Long Island, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Skydiving

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC93FA154

1 person died.

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.