What happened
The flight was conducted for the purpose of providing night flying instruction to a student pilot. Prior to departure, the preflight inspection and run-up revealed no discrepancies, with 10 quarts of oil confirmed to be in the engine. The aircraft proceeded south along the Hudson River until approximately 2 miles south of Liberty State Park, where a left turn was initiated to observe a fireworks display.
During this maneuver, an engine surge occurred as the propeller pitch decreased. The pilot noticed an odor associated with a hot engine and observed the engine oil pressure gauge reading zero. The pilot contacted Newark International Airport to advise them of the emergency. During the flight toward Newark, the engine seized completely. The pilot decided to land parallel to the southern shore of Liberty Park in the water. After the ditching, the Coast Guard rescued the two occupants who had exited the aircraft and were standing on the wings.
The investigation
The preflight inspection revealed no discrepancies prior to the flight. The engine oil quantity was determined to be 10 quarts at the start of the flight. The pilot reported an engine surge followed by a hot engine odor and zero oil pressure. The engine subsequently seized during the emergency flight to Newark.
Findings
The primary factors contributing to the incident were the loss of engine oil pressure and the subsequent seizure of the engine. The pilot's decision to ditch in the water was made after the engine failed. Both occupants were rescued by the Coast Guard.