Accident Overview
On September 12, 2021, at 1051 central daylight time, a Piper PA-44-180 airplane, registered as N740FT, was substantially damaged when it struck a tree during an emergency landing near Magnolia, Texas. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
Pilot Account
The pilot reported that during the preflight inspection, the fuel gauges indicated 17 gallons of fuel in both the left and right tanks. He visually inspected each tank and confirmed fuel was present. After takeoff, he climbed to 2,000 ft mean sea level and flew approximately 15 minutes to the destination airport, about 34 miles northwest, where he completed one full-stop landing. He then departed for the return flight. About 10 minutes into the return flight, the left engine experienced a loss of power, followed by the right engine experiencing a loss of power 5 minutes later. The pilot attempted an emergency landing to a road but struck a tree during the descent.
Postaccident Examination
The responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. The fuel tanks were not breached during the accident sequence, and neither tank contained evidence of fuel. No fuel was found on the ground near the airplane. A mechanic confirmed that there was no fuel in either fuel tank; approximately 4 to 6 ounces of fuel was drained from the left carburetor, and no fuel was present in the right carburetor. The airplane exhibited no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Dispatch sheets and discrepancy logs from the five previous flights showed no anomalies with the fuel gauges, fuel system, or fuel consumption. The pilot rented the airplane from a local business and did not fuel the airplane before takeoff.
Fuel Analysis
A postaccident fuel consumption calculation determined that the pilot had departed with a total of about 14 gallons of fuel. Based on an average fuel consumption rate of 17 gallons per hour, the airplane would have contained less than 1.5 gallons of fuel at the accident site. The airplane’s manual states that the fuel tanks contain 2 gallons of total unusable fuel.