Piper PA-28-181 Archer
February 20, 2016, Port Jefferson, N.Y.
At 2305 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged during a ditching in the Setauket Harbor. The flight instructor, student and one passenger received minor injuries. One passenger is missing and presumed to be fatally injured at this writing. Night visual conditions prevailed.
While cruising at around 2000 feet msl, the engine “sputtered.” Turning on the electric fuel pump and switching the fuel selector to the left fuel tank stopped the sputtering. The flight chose to divert to an airport 10 nm south. Shortly, the engine sputtered again and lost power. The CFI took control of the airplane and declared an emergency, then turned 180 degrees right toward a shoreline for a forced landing. According to the NTSB, he ditched the airplane as close as he could to the shoreline. The pilots and passengers exited the aircraft, which eventually sank in eight feet of water at high tide. The two pilots and one passenger were rescued; the second passenger has not been found. There was no evidence of fuel in either the left or right fuel tanks, nor in the fuel strainer or carburetor float bowl. Records revealed the airplane had been operated 5.1 hours since it was last refueled.
