History of Flight
On December 1, 2010, at approximately 1045 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, registration N4122F, experienced a loss of engine power during a solo cross-country instructional flight operated by TransPac Aviation Academy under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight departed Deer Valley Airport (DVT) in Phoenix, Arizona, around 0700, with a planned route to Wickenburg (E25), Gila Bend, back to E25, and then return to DVT. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed; no flight plan was filed.
Pilot Report
The student pilot reported that during the last leg from E25 to DVT, the engine began to run rough and he could not maintain altitude. He executed a forced landing in the desert near Wittmann. The student pilot sustained minor injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing.
Fuel Examination
During recovery, the right fuel tank was not breached but contained no fuel. The left fuel tank's drain was damaged in the crash sequence; no fuel was found in the tank, but the ground below the drain smelled of fuel and was wet over an area at least 12 inches in diameter.
Pilot Interview
In an interview with an FAA accident coordinator, the student pilot stated he intended to make only one full-stop landing with a taxi back, but during his second arrival at E25, he performed two additional full-stop taxi backs and two touch-and-goes. He felt the engine vibrate on final approach to E25 but did not land because he "didn't feel it was that bad" and needed to return to DVT. En route, the engine lost partial power. He switched to the left tank briefly, then back to the right. Before landing, the engine completely quit, and the airplane landed in a desert wash, damaging the left wing, both main landing gear, and nose gear.
Wreckage Examination
On December 8, 2010, investigators examined the wreckage at Air Transport, Inc., in Phoenix. The airframe and engine were secured, and a temporary fuel delivery system was configured. The engine was started using both left and right fuel selection positions; no abnormalities were noted that would have precluded normal operation.
Pilot Operating Handbook Reference
The Piper PA-28-181 Pilot Operating Handbook states that if the engine quits due to fuel exhaustion, it may take up to 10 seconds for fuel to reach the engine with the fuel pump on.