Narrative:

On oct/tue/96 we departed sandspoint, ny, at approximately XA00 pm. Takeoff and climb out was normal. We leveled off at 1000 ft MSL, contacted lga approach and told them our intentions about flying the hudson river VFR corridor sbound. Approximately 10-15 mins into the flight the aircraft started to vibrate and sound abnormal. At that time the hudson river was in sight and we chose (being a seaplane) at that time to make a precautionary landing. I told approach that we may have a possible emergency and that we would land in the hudson river and check things out. Soon after that we were too low to communicate with lga approach. The landing was normal. At that time a rescue boat (police) escorted us to a floating dock in yonkers, ny. At this time the coast guard auxiliary (I think) and police called every FBO in the area to find a mechanic to effect a repair and couldn't get a response. The police suggested with my approval to have their fire department mechanics effect a temporary repair. I was advised at the time that the aircraft was in a very serious crime area and that to leave it here would be a disaster. The aircraft was also in a position at the dock to be damaged due to high wakes in the river. I authority/authorized the mechanics to fix broken exhaust. Later in the day we took off and flew back to sands point, ny. No welder there either. Next day we flew to a seaplane base in manteo, nc. Temporary repair held up good. Had exhaust repairs by certified welder. No a&P available. Took off and flew to myrtle beach, nc. Due to the fact we were operating a seaplane (floats only), a&P mechanics seemed difficult to find due to our landing capability. I used my experience and judgement to decide to fly the airplane to a place to effect a safe and permanent repair.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE PLT OF AN F19 TAYLORCRAFT SEAPLANE HAS A BROKEN EXHAUST SYS AND SETS DOWN ON A RIVER TO INVESTIGATE. THE POLICE ADVISE HIM TO NOT LEAVE THE ACFT OVERNIGHT SO HE ACCEPTS THE AID OF A TEMPORARY REPAIR BY FIRE DEPT MECHS AND DEPARTS.

Narrative: ON OCT/TUE/96 WE DEPARTED SANDSPOINT, NY, AT APPROX XA00 PM. TKOF AND CLBOUT WAS NORMAL. WE LEVELED OFF AT 1000 FT MSL, CONTACTED LGA APCH AND TOLD THEM OUR INTENTIONS ABOUT FLYING THE HUDSON RIVER VFR CORRIDOR SBOUND. APPROX 10-15 MINS INTO THE FLT THE ACFT STARTED TO VIBRATE AND SOUND ABNORMAL. AT THAT TIME THE HUDSON RIVER WAS IN SIGHT AND WE CHOSE (BEING A SEAPLANE) AT THAT TIME TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. I TOLD APCH THAT WE MAY HAVE A POSSIBLE EMER AND THAT WE WOULD LAND IN THE HUDSON RIVER AND CHK THINGS OUT. SOON AFTER THAT WE WERE TOO LOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH LGA APCH. THE LNDG WAS NORMAL. AT THAT TIME A RESCUE BOAT (POLICE) ESCORTED US TO A FLOATING DOCK IN YONKERS, NY. AT THIS TIME THE COAST GUARD AUX (I THINK) AND POLICE CALLED EVERY FBO IN THE AREA TO FIND A MECH TO EFFECT A REPAIR AND COULDN'T GET A RESPONSE. THE POLICE SUGGESTED WITH MY APPROVAL TO HAVE THEIR FIRE DEPT MECHS EFFECT A TEMPORARY REPAIR. I WAS ADVISED AT THE TIME THAT THE ACFT WAS IN A VERY SERIOUS CRIME AREA AND THAT TO LEAVE IT HERE WOULD BE A DISASTER. THE ACFT WAS ALSO IN A POS AT THE DOCK TO BE DAMAGED DUE TO HIGH WAKES IN THE RIVER. I AUTH THE MECHS TO FIX BROKEN EXHAUST. LATER IN THE DAY WE TOOK OFF AND FLEW BACK TO SANDS POINT, NY. NO WELDER THERE EITHER. NEXT DAY WE FLEW TO A SEAPLANE BASE IN MANTEO, NC. TEMPORARY REPAIR HELD UP GOOD. HAD EXHAUST REPAIRS BY CERTIFIED WELDER. NO A&P AVAILABLE. TOOK OFF AND FLEW TO MYRTLE BEACH, NC. DUE TO THE FACT WE WERE OPERATING A SEAPLANE (FLOATS ONLY), A&P MECHS SEEMED DIFFICULT TO FIND DUE TO OUR LNDG CAPABILITY. I USED MY EXPERIENCE AND JUDGEMENT TO DECIDE TO FLY THE AIRPLANE TO A PLACE TO EFFECT A SAFE AND PERMANENT REPAIR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.