History of Flight
On November 25, 2017, at approximately 1420 eastern standard time, a Piper PA28-140 airplane, registration N57351, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Odessa, Florida. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, received minor injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed from Tampa Executive Airport (VDF) in Tampa, Florida, around 1340.
According to the pilot, the right fuel tank was full and the left tank was "just under half" during preflight inspection. After departure, the pilot flew toward the Clearwater Beach area before turning back to VDF. The flight was being operated using the left fuel tank at an altitude of about 2,500 feet. Following the turnaround, the pilot switched off the electric fuel pump. Approximately five minutes later, the engine lost power, with the engine speed dropping to about 700 rpm and remaining there. The pilot reported being airborne for about 40 minutes and attempting to maintain "about 80 mph" after the power loss. He turned on the electric fuel pump, but the engine did not regain power. He then switched to the right fuel tank and manipulated the throttle, but power was not restored. The pilot selected an open field for a forced landing. During the approach, he switched the fuel selector back to the left tank, again without success.
The field was bounded by two sets of powerlines. The pilot initially believed he could clear both, but after overflying the first set, he determined the airplane would not clear the second. He maneuvered to fly under the second set, but the right wing struck a pole supporting the powerlines. The airplane came to rest in the field a few hundred feet beyond the pole.
Post-accident examination by recovery personnel revealed that the left fuel tank was empty, the right tank was nearly full, and the fuel selector was set to the left tank.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. He reported approximately 149 total flight hours, with about 142 hours in the accident airplane make and model. His pilot certificate was issued in September 2015, and his most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued in January 2017.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was manufactured in 1973 and equipped with a Lycoming O-320 series engine. According to the pilot, the airframe and engine had accumulated about 4,722 total hours, and the engine had about 638 hours since its most recent overhaul. The most recent annual inspection was completed in June 2017. The pilot reported no prior engine power problems since purchasing the airplane in 2015, and stated that neither of the two annual inspections he had received included recommendations regarding the fuel system. He also reported that about a year before the accident, he noticed a fuel leak from the left tank sump valve, which he corrected by manipulating the valve to ensure it was closed. He reported no recurrence of that issue.
Meteorological Information
Automated weather observations from Tampa International Airport (TPA), about 12 miles southeast of the accident site, included winds from 250° at 7 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 4,500 feet, temperature 23°C, dew point 14°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.99 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest upright in a field at an elevation of about 50 feet above mean sea level. The nose landing gear had failed, both propeller blades were bent aft about midspan, and a 5-foot section of the outboard right wing was almost completely fracture-separated from the rest of the wing. During an examination on January 18, 2018, by NTSB and Piper personnel, the engine appeared intact. Top spark plugs were gray with normal wear. Cylinders examined with a borescope showed normal valves and pistons. The fuel selector valve was removed and disassembled with no defects observed. An external fuel tank was connected to the gascolator; the engine primed normally, and the electric fuel pump operated normally, pumping fuel to the engine. Using an electrical booster due to a weak battery, the engine started successfully and idled without problems. Throttle and mixture controls moved smoothly, and electrical switches operated normally. After start, a fractured oil pressure gauge line was noted leaking oil, and the engine was shut down. No other mechanical anomalies were found.
Additional Information
The airplane had two fuel tanks, each with a capacity of 25 gallons (24 usable). The fuel selector could be set to OFF, LEFT, or RIGHT; no BOTH setting existed. Each tank had a single fuel pickup on its inboard wall. The Pilot's Operating Manual (POM) noted that in certain maneuvers, fuel may move away from the outlet, potentially causing power loss if the outlet is unported. The electric fuel pump was provided for use in case of engine-driven pump failure and was to be used during takeoffs, landings, and tank switching.
Fuel records indicated the pilot took on 34.8 gallons on November 5, 2017, filling both tanks. He reported a previous flight of about 1.5 hours using only the left tank. The accident flight duration was between about 40 minutes and 1 hour, also using only the left tank. The POM fuel consumption rates ranged from 6.2 to 8.4 gallons per hour for cruise, with climb rates about 60% higher.
The POM's emergency procedures for engine power loss included switching tanks, turning on the electric fuel pump, enriching mixture, and applying carburetor heat. The pilot reported not using a checklist but did turn on the electric pump, observed normal fuel pressure, and switched tanks. He waited about 10 seconds after activating the pump before switching to the right tank, and later switched back to the left tank about halfway through the descent. He estimated the time from power loss to touchdown was between one and five minutes.
According to the POM glide performance chart, from 2,500 feet at best glide speed, the zero-wind glide range was 5 statute miles, with a descent rate of about 739 feet per minute, yielding a glide time of about 3.4 minutes.