Incident Overview
On May 8, 2008, at approximately 1530 central daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-300 (registration N385WR) sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Emporia, Kansas. The aircraft, a single-engine airplane, was in cruise flight when the engine lost power. The private pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. The airplane was registered to TNJ Trucking, Inc. of Estherville, Iowa and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Flight Details
The flight departed Tradewinds Airport (KTDW) in Amarillo, Texas, around 13:45 for a 330-nautical mile cross-country trip. In a written statement, the pilot reported that after passing Cottonwood, Kansas—less than 30 miles from Emporia—he turned on the fuel boost pump and switched fuel tanks. Approximately 10 miles from Emporia, while at an altitude of 3,500 feet, the pilot noted that the "plane got quiet." He cycled the magnetos and fuel tank selector once or twice. Unable to restart the engine, the pilot executed a forced landing in a field about 10 miles west of Emporia.
Post-Inspection Findings
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who responded to the site reported that the aircraft sustained structural damage during the landing. The inspector noted that fuel was present in the airplane's fuel tanks. A follow-on inspection found no mechanical or electrical problems with the engine. However, the left inboard fuel tank exhibited large sections of "sloshing" compound peeling from the tank walls, which blocked the fuel tank outlet.
Maintenance Records Review
A review of maintenance records indicated that the left inboard fuel tank had been treated with Randolph 802 sloshing compound sealer in February 1996. At the time of application, the procedure was acceptable per the Piper Service Manual. The review also noted that Piper Service Bulletin 251C, dated May 16, 2005, no longer recognizes Randolph 802 as an approved sealer and states that the sloshing procedure should be removed from all Piper Service Manuals. The service bulletin did not contain additional instructions regarding tanks that had been previously repaired using this procedure.