During a winter storm, the Collins ran ashore on the outer bar of Fire Island in 1856.

On February 6, 1845, the Collins, while on pilot duty, went ashore at Gowanus Bay because of gale and ice.

[3] On February 1, 1848, eighteen miles south of Sandy Hook, two pilots, Robert Smith and Andrew Foster, from the pilot-boat E. K. Collins, lost their lives attempting to board the brig Robert Bruce.

The apprentice, James Rush, was on the ice covered boat for thirty-two hours before he was picked up by a life-boat.

Three of the crew were frozen to death, including Sandy Hook pilot Robert B. Mitchell, cabin boy Wellan "Billy" Williams and the cook.