Piper PA32-300 N2242Z

Summary

On 1 June 2025 at about 15:30 local time, a Piper PA32-300 registered N2242Z was involved in an accident near Montauk, New York, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause has been published yet; this accident is still under investigation.

Date

1 June 2025 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Montauk, New York, United States

Coordinates

41.0000, -72.0000

Aircraft

Piper PA32-300

Registration

N2242Z

Category

Airplane

Year built

1979

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bridgeport → Block Island

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA25LA215

2 people had minor injuries.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. The investigation is still open; a final report usually follows one to two years after the accident.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

On June 1, 2025, about 1130 EDT, N2242Z, a Piper PA32-300 airplane, was involved in an accident near Montauk, New York. The private pilot/owner and his passenger were not injured. The flight was conducted as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane departed Bridgeport/Sikorsky Airport (BDR), Bridgeport, Connecticut, about 1114, and was en route to Block Island State Airport (BID), Block Island, Rhode Island. The pilot stated that all engine indications were normal as he climbed and leveled off at 3,000 ft mean sea level (msl) over Long Island Sound. Shortly after, the engine made a popping noise “similar to a back fire” with a noticeable loss of engine thrust. The pilot noted the RPM gauge went to “0” but the propeller continued to spin. He declared a MAYDAY and prepared for a forced landing in the water. Upon landing, the pilot said he and his passenger exited the airplane and he used his cell phone to direct emergency personnel to his location. The airplane wreckage was recovered from the water and taken to a secure facility for further examination. Both wings had been removed, and substantial damage was observed on the lower fuselage. The engine and its two-bladed propeller remained securely attached to the airframe. Evidence of corrosion was noted from exposure to saltwater. The rocker box covers were removed, and no anomalies were noted. However, when the crankshaft was rotated via the propeller, there was no movement noted on any of the rocker arms. The engine was removed from the airframe to facilitate further examination. The accessory section of the engine was removed, and the crankshaft gear bolt was found about 1/8th of an inch from the seated position. The safety lock plate washer was present; however, the washer tabs were bent. The crankshaft gear bolt head was rounded. The crankshaft gear bolt was removed, and the bottom threads of the bolt were damaged. The crankshaft gear was removed, and the alignment dowel was sheared. Four teeth were sheared from the oil adapter idler gear and found in the oil sump. No other mechanical deficiencies were noted with the engine. The damaged components were retained and sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for further examination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.