Incident Overview
On June 20, 2013, at approximately 2100 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, registration N589FL, experienced a loss of engine power during cruise flight near De Smet, South Dakota. The aircraft subsequently executed a forced landing, during which it sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were not injured.
Flight Details
The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The two individuals were competing in a cross-country air race at the time of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight was not on a flight plan. The flight departed from Rawlins Municipal Airport (RWL) in Rawlins, Wyoming, at an unconfirmed time, with the intended destination being Brookings Regional Airport (BKX) in Brookings, South Dakota.
Pilot Report
According to the pilot, prior to the accident flight, she and the other pilot had completed a flight from Grant County Regional Airport (GCD) in John Day, Oregon, to RWL. That flight lasted 5.7 hours and consumed 41 gallons of fuel. After refueling, they departed RWL and proceeded toward Spearfish, South Dakota, where they performed a fly-by before continuing toward BKX. When the airplane was approximately 50 miles from BKX at an altitude of 7,500 feet, they began a slow descent. As the aircraft descended through 5,500 feet, the engine speed dropped to 1,000 rpm, then spiked to 2,750 rpm, and repeated this cycle. The pilot performed emergency checklist procedures, including switching fuel tanks, ensuring the primer was in and locked, cycling the magnetos, applying carburetor heat, opening the throttle, and applying full rich mixture. These efforts were unsuccessful, and the engine continued to surge. Realizing they were not within gliding range of an airport, the pilot selected a field for an off-airport landing. The landing was successful, but during the landing roll, the airplane went through a ditch and struck a rock.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact anomalies with the engine or fuel system. At the request of the National Transportation Safety Board's investigator-in-charge, an engine test run was performed by the aircraft salvage operator. The engine started and idled normally for several minutes; a full power run was not conducted due to safety concerns. During the test, the fuel selector was positioned on the left tank, and the electric fuel pump operated without anomalies.