Accident Summary
On February 14, 2012, at approximately 0700 central standard time, a Piper PA-32-260, registration N3688W, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged during a forced landing into a wooded area near Amory, Mississippi. The certificated commercial pilot sustained serious injuries. The flight was conducted under Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations as a personal flight, operating under instrument flight rules (IFR) with an IFR flight plan filed. The flight had departed Umatilla Municipal Airport (X23) in Umatilla, Florida, at about 0210, destined for Olive Branch Airport (OLV) in Olive Branch, Mississippi.
Pilot Information
The pilot, aged 49, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multiengine land, and instrument airplane. He also held a flight instructor certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine. He reported a total flight experience of 922 hours, of which 30 hours were in actual instrument conditions.
Weather and Flight Plan
Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot filed an IFR flight plan with a planned cruising altitude of 6,000 feet. Prior to departure, the pilot received a weather briefing from Lockheed Martin Flight Service at 0129. The briefer advised of AIRMET Zulu for moderate icing from the freezing level to flight level 200, with the freezing level between 3,000 and 10,000 feet, and AIRMET Sierra for IFR conditions with ceilings below 1,000 feet and visibility less than 3 miles due to mist. The briefer also mentioned moderate precipitation through southwest Georgia and Alabama to Columbia, Mississippi.
During the flight, the pilot encountered conditions that led to a higher-than-planned fuel burn. Initially cruising at 6,000 feet near Montgomery, Alabama, the engine began to run rough. The pilot enriched the fuel mixture, which alleviated the roughness but increased fuel burn rate. Additionally, the flight took longer than planned due to turbulence and headwinds. The pilot realized fuel would be insufficient to reach OLV and requested a deviation to Tupelo Regional Airport (TUP) in Tupelo, Mississippi.
Air traffic control (ATC) vectoring began, but the pilot struggled with altitude and heading deviations. At 0641, the pilot requested a lower altitude due to icing, descending to 3,000 feet. Communications with Memphis Center revealed multiple altitude deviations and heading corrections. At 0653, the pilot reported low fuel; at 0658, he stated the engine had lost all power. The last radar target indicated an altitude of 1,400 feet at 0658:34.
Engine and Fuel Details
The pilot reported topping off fuel tanks with 6 hours of fuel for a planned 4-hour flight. The richer mixture setting resulted in a fuel burn of approximately 18 gallons per hour. At the time of power loss, the fuel selector was positioned to a main tank, though the pilot had been switching tanks during the flight and could not recall which one. He did not switch tanks after power loss. When asked about carburetor heat activation, the pilot responded, "I did not know."
The accident airplane held 84 gallons of fuel, with a normal burn rate of about 14 gph at 75% power using a best economy mixture. The aircraft was not certified or equipped for flight into known icing conditions.
Wreckage and Examination
Examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed the aircraft impacted a remote wooded area. All fuel tanks ruptured during impact; only about one cup of fuel was recovered from the right main fuel tank, with no fuel odor at the site. The fuel selector was found positioned to the right main fuel tank, and the carburetor heat was off. The engine was examined post-recovery: valve train continuity was established, suction heard in the fuel pump diaphragm, compression observed on all cylinders except the impact-damaged No. 2 cylinder, and spark attained on all magneto leads. No metal was found in the oil filter or sump. The carburetor was dry with no contamination. Both magnetos functioned, and spark plugs appeared intact with light gray electrodes, except two that were oil soaked.