History of Flight
On July 10, 2014, about 0750 central daylight time, a Piper PA28R-200 airplane, N9469N, made a forced landing into a field following a loss of engine power near Mt. Vernon, Texas. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to East Texas Pilots Association Flying Club Inc., and was operated by a private individual under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Franklin County Airport (F53), Mt. Vernon, Texas, about 0740 and was en route to Winnsboro Municipal Airport (F51), Winnsboro, Texas.
Witness statements reported that the engine was "backfiring" and "shut off" as the airplane was flying over tree tops and low to the ground. A pilot statement was never submitted.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 79, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine and multi-engine land and instrument airplane. He was a certified flight instructor for single engine land and instrument airplane. On October 14, 2013, the pilot was denied an FAA medical certificate.
Aircraft Information
The Piper PA28R-200 was a low-wing, single engine, four place, retractable gear airplane manufactured in 1969. It was powered by a 200-horsepower Lycoming IO 360-C engine driving a three bladed McCauley propeller. On May 7, 2013, at a total time of 3,881 hours, an annual inspection was completed with no anomalies noted. The airplane was due for an annual inspection on May 7, 2014.
Meteorological Information
At 0755, an automated weather report for Mount Pleasant Regional Airport (KOSA), Mount Pleasant, Texas, located 15 miles east of the accident site, reported: calm wind, visibility 7 miles, clear sky, temperature 73°F, dew point 72°F, altimeter setting 30.06 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane impacted trees, and the left wing separated from the fuselage. The right wing remained partially attached and was twisted aft. The airplane continued into the field and came to rest upright.
The responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector stated that the fuel tanks were damaged during impact and there was no evidence of fuel in the fuel tanks or near the airplane.
On October 1, 2014, the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge examined the wreckage at a storage facility. The examination revealed that the gascolator was about half full of 100 low lead aviation fuel and no contaminants were present. The engine driven fuel pump did not contain fuel. The fuel line from the engine driven fuel pump to the fuel flow distributor was dry with no evidence of fuel. The left fuel tank was breached and the right tank quick drain port was broken off.