Flight and Fuel Management
On March 23, 2009, about 1800 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N1857H, experienced a loss of engine power while on a personal flight. The pilot, a certificated private pilot, was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight departed Palm Springs International Airport, California, at 1400, with a planned destination of Reid-Hillview Airport in San Jose, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported departing with about 45 gallons of fuel. She climbed northbound to 10,500 feet and then turned northwest. About 3.5 hours into the flight, she checked the fuel gauges and observed slightly less than 5 gallons remaining in the right tank and less than 10 gallons in the left tank. The fuel selector was set to the right tank, and she estimated about 1 hour 10 minutes of flight remaining.
Engine Power Loss and Diversion
Approximately 15 minutes later, the engine stopped producing power. The pilot checked the gauges and saw the right needle indicating zero fuel. She switched to the left tank, and the engine regained power. She then diverted northeast, intending to land at Firebaugh Airport. According to a statement to the Fresno County Sheriff, she initially could not locate the airport and circled the city of Firebaugh. After locating the airport, during the landing attempt, the engine lost power again. The pilot executed a forced landing in a plowed field.
Post-Accident Examination
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. The pilot was not injured. An FAA inspector examined the airplane and found both fuel tanks intact and absent of fuel. No fuel leaks were observed on external surfaces. Recovery personnel drained approximately 32 ounces of fuel from the airplane, and no indications of fuel leakage were noted. All fuel lines within the engine compartment were intact.
The pilot stated that she leaned the fuel mixture during the flight but noted difficulty accurately adjusting the mixture on this airplane type due to its mixture lever. She reported being more familiar with a Vernier mixture control. The accident location was about 71 miles south of Reid-Hillview Airport. The pilot reported encountering 35-knot headwinds during the flight and stated in a written report that the accident could have been prevented with "better planning/execution."