Water In Fuel Caused Fatal Plane Crash On I-684 At NY, CT Border, NTSB Says

Water contamination in both fuel tanks of a Tecnam P2008 led to a complete loss of engine power and a subsequent crash onto I-684 at the New York-Connecticut border, according to the NTSB final report released Nov. 3.

The victims were Jacob Yankele Friedman, 32, of Monsey, a commercial pilot serving as safety pilot, who died, and Kalmen Goldberger, 26, of Linden, New Jersey, who owned the aircraft and was seriously injured. They were flying from Linden, N.J., to Albany when power loss occurred near the Tappan Zee Bridge, prompting a diversion toward Westchester County Airport.

Investigators found water in both fuel tanks, the carburetors, and other parts of the fuel system. They also identified a damaged left fuel cap lacking a sealing ring and an improperly sealed right fuel cap, with tests showing both caps leaked. Heavy rain in the days before the crash likely allowed water entry through the caps while the aircraft was parked outside, and the water contamination went undetected during the pilots’ preflight inspection.

The NTSB determined the probable cause as a total loss of engine power due to water-contaminated fuel, combined with the pilots’ inadequate preflight inspection. The aircraft had a prior water-in-fuel issue noted in August 2024, with maintenance actions taken but no final determination of the contamination source.

Following the power loss, Friedman attempted an emergency landing on a road after diverting toward the airport. The aircraft then crashed into the I-684 median around 6:46 p.m., closing the highway between Westchester County Airport and Bedford/Armonk. A witness helped extract Goldberger from the wreckage before responders arrived.