Accident Overview
On May 6, 2014, at approximately 2130 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300 airplane, registration N5222S, made an emergency landing in a field near Lancaster, Ohio. The private pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were not injured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight had originated about 2120.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that he was performing touch-and-go landings and was in the traffic pattern for the second landing when the engine experienced a partial loss of power. While turning from base to final, the pilot attempted to adjust the throttle lever, but the engine did not respond. Both the pilot and passenger moved the throttle lever, mixture control, and fuel selector, and turned on the fuel pump in an effort to restore engine power. Despite these attempts, power could not be regained, prompting the pilot to execute an emergency landing in a field.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination revealed that the throttle, fuel mixture, and propeller controls were found in the full forward position. The fuel selector valve was found in the OFF position. The right tip fuel tank contained no fuel, while the other three tanks (right main, left main, left tip) were mostly full. An engine run test showed that the engine operated with no anomalies. However, the fuel selector valve was found to be worn and degraded to the point that it would not properly control the fuel flow. The detents were worn, allowing fuel to continue flowing through the selector valve even when positioned between detents or in the OFF position.
Additional Information
The Federal Aviation Administration had issued Airworthiness Directive (AD) 77-12-01 on June 10, 1977, applicable to the accident airplane, to prevent a fuel system malfunction and possible power interruption. During the most recent annual inspection on December 5, 2013, AD 77-12-01 had been completed and no anomalies were noted.