Piper PA-32-300 N405WB accident near Fishers Island, New York

Probable cause

The loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined. Contributing was the pilot’s misjudgment of airspeed and altitude during the forced landing.

NTSB analysis

About 40 minutes into the flight, while operating at 4,500 ft mean sea level (msl), the engine began to run “rough” and suddenly stopped producing power. The pilot immediately turned to a nearby airport that was only a few miles away. The propeller continued to windmill, but after troubleshooting he was unable to restart the engine; he began a left, spiraling descent to the runway. He misjudged the winds, and his speed and altitude were insufficient to land safely on the runway. He performed a forced landing short of the runway in dense brush, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. Postaccident examination of the engine and associated systems revealed no preimpact malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation and the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA23LA354 for the full record.