History of Flight
On August 5, 2010, about 1425 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-24-260C, N9365P, was substantially damaged during an off-airport forced landing near Ridgecrest, California. The private pilot received minor injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was filed.
The pilot departed Gnoss Field (DVO), Novato, California, with all four fuel tanks full, totaling 90 gallons. The planned fuel stop was Needles Airport (EED), about 500 miles away. He selected a cruise altitude of 9,500 feet mean sea level. During the first three hours, he alternated between left and right main tanks at roughly one-hour intervals. At the start of the fourth hour, he switched to the right main tank and later attempted to select the left auxiliary tank, but the fuel quantity gauge showed no indication. He then tried the right auxiliary tank with the same result, returning the selector to the right main tank.
Suspecting a fuel indication problem, the pilot tried to tighten a screw he believed was related. While doing so, the engine began missing and coughing, then ceased developing power. The airplane descended, and the pilot made unsuccessful restart attempts. He determined a forced landing on desert terrain was imminent and conducted the approach with flaps and landing gear retracted.
The airplane was tracked by FAA radar. Controllers noticed the descent, and the last radar return was acquired about 1424. The airplane entered a military restricted area, and FAA coordinated with military personnel. The pilot and airplane were located about 45 minutes later by military aerial searchers on flat desert terrain at about 3,000 feet msl.
Pilot Information
The pilot, age 82, held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. His most recent flight review was in January 2009, and his most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued in January 2010. He reported about 2,400 total hours in the accident airplane make and model. In the seven months prior, he logged 4 flights totaling 4.7 hours, with the most recent flight 7 weeks before the accident lasting 1.1 hours. In his accident report, he stated that fuel management should have followed the Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH). An FAA inspector reported the pilot voluntarily surrendered his pilot certificate after the accident.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was manufactured in 1969 and registered to the pilot in 1995. It was equipped with a Lycoming TIO-540 series engine. It had two main fuel tanks (28 gallons usable each) and two auxiliary tanks (15 gallons usable each). The fuel selector had five positions: OFF and one for each tank. A single fuel quantity gauge showed the selected tank, with an override to check non-selected tanks. A fuel flow gauge was also installed.
The POH recommended a normal economy cruise at 65% power. At 9,500 feet density altitude, 2,400 rpm, and 3,200 pounds, true airspeed was about 183 mph. With auxiliary tanks, range was about 1,225 miles and endurance about 6.7 hours, yielding a calculated fuel consumption of about 13 gph. The POH stated that auxiliary tanks should be used in level flight only, that sufficient fuel should remain in one main tank for maneuvering and landing, and that fuel should be used alternately from each tank, suggesting auxiliary tanks be used first.
Maintenance records were not located. The pilot believed they were in a bag under the passenger seat, but recovery personnel did not find them. Multiple searches and inquiries failed to produce the records. The tachometer registered 4,477.14 hours and the hour meter 4,583.3 hours at the time of the accident. A flight log entry from May 18, 2010, noted 0.2 hours of engine operation and the word "annual" in the remarks.
Meteorological Information
The 1456 automated weather observation at China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station (NID), about 25 miles north-northwest of the accident site, included winds from 180 degrees at 7 knots gusting to 21 knots; 10 miles visibility; clear skies; temperature 40°C; dew point -4°C; and an altimeter setting of 29.79 inches of mercury.
Communications
The pilot initially contacted ATC for flight-following but later voluntarily terminated the service. Radar data from a commercial tracking website showed the airplane first acquired at 1147 at 8,100 feet msl, with the last target at 1414 at 4,300 feet msl. The flight path included turns before continuing southeast. The accident site was about 20 miles inside Restricted Area 2515, which was continuously active with unlimited ceiling. The pilot did not communicate with Joshua Approach, the controlling agency.
Wreckage and Impact Information
An FAA inspector examined the airplane the day after the event. The landing gear remained retracted; the airplane was upright and relatively intact. One propeller blade was bent aft about 70 degrees at midspan, the other about 10 degrees at the 2/3 point. No chordwise scratches were present. The lower cowl and forward fuselage were deformed up and aft. The right wing had crumpling at the leading and trailing edges at the 2/3 span point. The outer third of the left wing was crushed and deformed aft. Fuel tanks appeared intact. The outboard leading edge of the right stabilator was crumpled aft. The fuel selector was found set to the left main tank. The left main fuel tank was empty; the auxiliary tanks contained some fuel. No information was provided regarding fuel in the right main tank.