On July 28, 2020, about 0143 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-200 airplane, N15302, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Houston, Texas. The pilot and passenger were seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The airplane crashed into a residential area after a loss of engine power during cruise flight. The flight was a cross-country flight that originated and was planned to return to Sugar Land Regional Airport (SGR), Houston, Texas, with stops at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport (TYR), Tyler, Texas, and Stan Stamper Municipal Airport (HHW), Hugo, Oklahoma.
According to automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data for the accident flight, the airplane departed SGR at 2103 and flew north toward TYR. During this leg of the flight, the airplane was at a cruise altitude of 8,000 ft msl for about 1 hour. After descending, the airplane flew about 14 nm past TYR before making a course reversal back toward TYR. At 2242:38 the airplane crossed the arrival threshold for runway 17 at TYR. About 8.5 minutes later, at 2251:18, ADS-B data showed the airplane about halfway down runway 13 at TYR on takeoff. The airplane made a left turn out and proceeded toward HHW at a cruise altitude of 6,500 ft msl. As the airplane approached HHW, there was an interruption of ADS-B data that lasted about 2 minutes. At 2341:21, the airplane was about 0.8 nm northeast of the approach end of runway 17 at HHR. About 2 minutes later, at 2343:16 the airplane was about 0.3 nm south of the departure end of runway 17. The airplane continued south toward SGR at a cruise altitude of 9,500 ft msl, for about 1 hour before descending to 8,000 ft msl for about 30 more minutes.
At 0133:45, the airplane started descending from 8,000 ft msl. A recording of communication between the pilot and the Houston Terminal Radar Approach Control Facility revealed that at 0141, when the airplane was about 15.5 nm north-northeast of SGR according to ADS-B data, the pilot declared an emergency and requested vectors to the nearest airport. The controller advised the pilot that West Houston Airport (IWS), Houston, Texas was 4 miles directly in front of the airplane. The controller inquired as to the nature of the emergency at 0142, and the pilot responded that they had an “engine out.”
After an update of the location of IWS from the controller, the pilot stated that he didn’t think they would be able to reach IWS. The controller then informed the pilot of a freeway nearby. After further inquiries from the controller, the pilot responded that there were two people and 10 gallons of fuel on-board. ADS-B data indicate that the airplane made a left turn toward IWS and descended until the end of the data at 0143:17. At 0143:16, the pilot notified the controller that he would not be able to reach the freeway and would have to land the airplane in a neighborhood. No further transmissions were received from the accident airplane. Based on the ADS-B data, the airplane was airborne for about 4 hours 40 minutes.
A report filed by the pilot’s wife on his behalf indicated that due to injuries received in the accident, he had no recollection of the accident flight.
The passenger stated that he and the pilot departed SGR and flew to two intermediate airports making “touch and go” landings at each. He stated that when the airplane was 12 miles from SGR on the return leg of the flight, the “engine shut off, came back on and then shut down again.”
A postaccident examination of the airframe including the fuel system, and the engine revealed no preimpact anomalies.
According to the Pilot’s Operating Manual (POM), the airplane was equipped with two 25-gallon fuel tanks (24 gallons usable) in each wing. The fuel tank in use could be selected by the pilot using the fuel selector valve located in the cockpit. Fuel could not be drawn from both fuel tanks simultaneously. Performance data indicated that the airplane’s fuel burn rate was 8.0, 9.16, and 10.15 gallons per hour at 55%, 65%, and 75% power, respectively. According to the performance charts, at 2,400 rpm, the engine could produce about 70% of its maximum rated power at 8,000 ft density altitude, and about 65% at 9,500 ft density altitude. At 6,500 ft, the engine could attain the normal cruise power setting of 75% engine power stated in the POM.