Accident Details
On May 29, 2023, at approximately 1152 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, registration N456Y, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near West Jordan, Utah. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The aircraft was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.
Preflight and Engine Loss
The flight instructor reported that the local flight from South Valley Regional Airport (U42) was in preparation for the student pilot’s private pilot check ride. Earlier that morning, the fuel strainer and wing tanks were sumped and clear of contaminants. After refueling, the airplane was sumped again; the fuel strainer was clear, the right wing showed several drops of water, and the left tank had a significant amount of water. The preflight and engine start proceeded normally with no anomalies during startup, taxi, or runup. The aircraft departed with the fuel selector on the left-wing tank position. During takeoff, the ground roll was normal, and the airplane lifted off about 2,000 ft down the runway. At about 300 ft above ground level, the engine began to lose power. The flight instructor took control, added full rich mixture, and ensured full throttle; there was a momentary increase in rpm before total engine power loss.
Forced Landing and Damage
The instructor initiated a forced landing to a soccer field complex about 1/4 mile south of U42. During the landing, the right main landing gear collapsed, the airplane veered to the right, and the right wing impacted a tree. The right wing fuel tank sustained impact damage and leaked fuel at the site. After the accident, the wing tanks were defueled from the filler ports, and the airplane was relocated to the airport. Approximately 15 gallons of fuel was collected from the wing tanks. The gascolator and wing tanks were not sumped after the accident or during relocation.
Post-Accident Examination
Postaccident examination revealed that the gascolator bowl bail wire attachment end was not engaged with the outboard attachment hole on the gascolator housing and was resting on the gascolator bracket forward of the hole. There was no observable impact damage to the gascolator or surrounding area. The gascolator bowl was not sealed to the housing and was twisted inboard, with the sump pointing forward instead of outboard. Interior surfaces of both upper and lower cowling were covered in a light oil residue except beneath the gascolator. The lower cowling was removed; the bail wire was not safety wired in place, and the strainer bowl retaining nut was safety wired to the gascolator sump fitting but was not properly positioned on the bottom of the bowl. The gascolator bowl was removed, and the seal and screen were undamaged and clear of contamination. The bowl contained no fuel.
Maintenance Records
Review of maintenance records showed that the last 100-hour inspection was completed on April 1, 2023, about two months before the accident, with approximately 60 hours of operation since that inspection. The airplane had about 3,828 hours of operation at the time of the last inspection. Piper Service Letter 1141, dated April 11, 2011, and the Piper Maintenance Manual provide instructions to maintain and install the gascolator, directing the installer to safety bail nut and bail wire with MS20995-C32 safety wire and to use the double twist method as described in FAA Advisory Circular 43.13-1.