Accident Overview
On October 10, 2023, at about 2230 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, registration N55162, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Jonesboro, Georgia. The private pilot and commercial pilot were seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
Flight Planning and Fueling
The private pilot, who was also the aircraft owner, occupied the left seat. The commercial pilot was in the right seat and acted as the flying pilot (pilot-in-command), as the two were alternating legs to build flight time. The pilot in the left seat made radio calls while the right-seat pilot flew. They planned to fly from Destin Executive Airport (DTS), Destin, Florida, to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Atlanta, Georgia.
Before departing DTS, they purchased 15 gallons of fuel. Five gallons completely filled the right fuel tank (25-gallon capacity), and the remaining 10 gallons were added to the left fuel tank. The total fuel onboard was determined to be 38 gallons, measured by a stick in the left tank (13 gallons) and visual confirmation of a full right tank. Both pilots checked the fuel quantity. They departed at 2018 with a planned flying time of 1 hour and 47 minutes.
Loss of Engine Power
As the airplane neared ATL at 3,500 ft mean sea level, the pilot in the left seat switched from the left fuel tank to the right fuel tank (the fuel selector was on the left side of the cockpit). Shortly after, the engine lost all power. She performed the emergency checklist items but was unable to restart the engine while the right-seat pilot continued to fly. The airplane could not glide to the nearest airport, and a forced landing was executed into trees.
Pilot Statements
The commercial pilot reported that the private pilot in the left seat was pilot-in-command. She stated that the private pilot performed takeoffs and landings, while she flew the en route portion from the right seat, both building flight time. The airplane landed at DTS with about half fuel. After purchasing 15 gallons, the fuel load was nearly full (right tank 25 gallons, left tank 18.5 out of 25). The left-seatl pilot reported taking off with the fuel selector on the left tank. After the accident, she stated that she forgot to switch fuel tanks throughout the flight.
Aircraft Performance Data
Review of the pilot operating handbook for the accident airplane make and model showed that the engine consumed 8.4 gallons of fuel per hour at 75% power, which equated to about half the total capacity of the left wing fuel tank during the accident flight.
Accident Site Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the accident site. The wreckage came to rest nose-down in a wooded area. Both wings and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. Both wing fuel tanks were breached, and there was no fuel odor or browning of vegetation at the site. The left wing fuel cap remained secured, but the right wing fuel cap was missing and could not be located.
As of the publication of this report, no insurance coverage has been identified and the wreckage has not been recovered from the wooded area.