Accident Overview
On March 2, 2023, at 1305 central standard time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registration N9420N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Slaughters, Kentucky. The pilot was not injured. The flight was conducted as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Flight History
The pilot purchased the airplane in April 2021, after it had not flown for 22 years. A mechanic completed an extensive annual inspection and endorsed the logbooks on March 1, 2023. The pilot planned to fly the airplane to San Diego, California.
On the day of the accident, the pilot flew from Bowman Field Airport (LOU), Louisville, Kentucky, to Madisonville Regional Airport (2I0), Madisonville, Kentucky, a distance of about 97 nautical miles. After topping off the fuel tanks at 2I0, the pilot visited a friend for a couple of hours before departing for Lebanon Springfield Airport-George Hoerter Field (6I2), Springfield, Kentucky. About 5 minutes after departing 2I0, at an altitude of 1,600 ft mean sea level, the engine began to lose power and slow down. The pilot did not recall if the engine was sputtering, only that it was losing power. Unable to return to the airport, the pilot executed a forced landing to a field.
Damage and Landing
The airplane landed hard, causing all three landing gear to separate from their mounts. The main landing gear were forced upward through the wings, substantially damaging the wing ribs and main spar.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the engine revealed that when electrical power was applied to the electric fuel pump, fuel leaked from the fuel strainer bowl. The thumb wheel securing the fuel strainer bowl to the firewall was loose and not secured with safety wire, allowing fuel to exit the bowl. The fuel system forward of the fuel strainer was examined, and no fuel was found up to the fuel nozzles. After the fuel strainer bowl was properly secured by the mechanic, fuel flowed from the strainer bowl through the fuel lines to the fuel nozzles. Examination of the fuel nozzles showed that the No. 3 nozzle contained a small piece of unidentified material and the No. 4 nozzle was completely clogged. The No. 1 and No. 2 nozzles were clear of debris. No other anomalies were noted with the engine.