Accident Details
On June 4, 2022, about 1430 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300, registration N561PK, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Snohomish, Washington. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that before departing Paine Field (PAE), Everett, Washington, he did not refuel the airplane. During his preflight inspection, he drained all the fuel tanks and performed an engine runup with no issues. He then departed for Harvey Field (S43), Snohomish, Washington. After about 10 minutes of flight, he landed on runway 15L. Following landing, while performing the post-landing checklist, the engine “hiccuped” as if losing power and then “revved up.” The pilot turned the fuel pump off and back on, and the engine seemed to clear.
Before takeoff from S43, the pilot performed an uneventful engine runup and elected to conduct a short-field takeoff from runway 17. As the airplane ascended through about 700 ft mean sea level, the engine began to surge, followed by a total loss of engine power. The pilot attempted to land on a nearby road but realized he could not reach it and instead landed in an open field. During the landing roll, the airplane struck a dirt berm and became airborne briefly before touching back down. Once the nose wheel landing gear settled onto the soft dirt, it immediately collapsed, and the airplane came to rest nose low.
The pilot further reported that before his flight from PAE, the owner of the airplane sent him a text message stating that the fuel selector valve was on the left tip tank. The pilot said he did not think it was an issue but could not remember if he positioned the selector valve on the left main fuel tank. He added that he could see himself switching the fuel tank position by hand and then putting it back where it was without visually verifying the position.
Owner Report
The owner of the airplane reported that he had about 2 or 3 gallons of fuel in the left wing tip tank before adding 4 gallons, then performing a “mini run up” and taxiing back to his hangar at PAE. The owner estimated that the left tip tank had about 4 gallons of fuel in it.
Postaccident Examination
Postaccident examination of the airframe revealed that all four fuel tanks were intact and undamaged. The left wing tip tank was void of any fuel, while the left main tank, right main tank, and right wing tip tank contained a significant amount of fuel. No visible damage to the airframe was observed except for the nose wheel landing gear, which was compressed aft into the firewall. Additionally, the engine mount where the nose gear attached was buckled. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.