Fleet 16B N80656

Summary

On 2 November 2003 at about 16:30 local time, a Fleet 16B registered N80656 was involved in an accident near Fishers Island, New York, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 November 2003 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Fishers Island, New York, United States

Coordinates

40.2319, -72.0356

Aircraft

Fleet 16B

Registration

N80656

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Westerly → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC04LA021

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance while maneuvering, which resulted in a collision with water.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The accident airplane was part of a flight of three airplanes. Two airplanes were flying in formation, while a photographer in a third airplane took photographs. Witnesses observed the accident airplane performing steep turns, steep ascents and "swooping down really low to the water." The accident airplane appeared to be pulling up, when it impacted the water at an angle of about 45 degrees. No major portions of the airframe were recovered. The airplane was equipped with a Kinner R-56 radial engine; which was recovered about 1 year after the accident. The engine was significantly corroded. All cylinders were present and did not display any obvious visual evidence of a catastrophic failure. The wooden propeller remained attached to the engine and both ends were splintered. At the time of the accident, the pilot had accumulated about 1,331 hours of total flight experience, which included about 160 hours in the accident airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.