Accident Overview
On July 10, 2022, at about 1810 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-24-260 airplane, registration N478WT, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Rapid City, South Dakota. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was uninjured. The flight was conducted as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Events Leading to the Forced Landing
The pilot reported departing for an estimated 30-minute flight. When the airplane reached approximately 6,000 ft above mean sea level (MSL), the engine lost all power. The pilot declared an emergency with air traffic control and indicated the need to return to the airport. He switched fuel tanks and attempted multiple engine restarts, but power could not be restored. Unable to reach the runway, the pilot executed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane bounced, causing the right main landing gear to collapse. The aircraft then slid until it came to rest upright. The accident resulted in substantial damage to the elevator.
Post-Accident Actions and Examination
Following the accident, the pilot turned off the fuel selector to prevent a fire. The pilot stated that the airplane had undergone an annual inspection about two days before the accident. After the inspection, the pilot flew the airplane in the traffic pattern and then added 30 gallons of fuel to each main fuel tank, for a total of 68 gallons of fuel on board. The pilot noted his habit of starting flights with the left main fuel tank selected. When the engine lost power, he switched to the right main fuel tank for restart attempts but did not use the auxiliary fuel tanks.
During a postaccident examination by the Federal Aviation Administration, fuel was drained from the left and right main fuel tanks and the right auxiliary fuel tank. When the left auxiliary fuel tank was checked, no fuel was present. No contaminants were found in any of the fuel samples.
Engine Examination
A detailed engine examination could not be accomplished because the insurance company sold the wreckage before it was released by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Probable Cause
No probable cause was determined by the investigating agency.