N3770A

On July 13, 1998, at 1030 central daylight time, a Piper PA-22, N3770A, piloted by commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage when it impacted the terrain during a forced landing, following a loss of engine power during cruise flight, near Nehawka, Nebraska. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The flight departed Nebraska City Municipal Airport, Nebraska City, Nebraska at 0945.

The pilot indicated in written and a verbal statements to investigators that while in cruise flight the engine suffered a loss of power. He said that in response to the loss of power, he tried the carburetor heat, switched the fuel tank selector, and checked the magnetos. He said that when power was not recovered, he switched the fuel selector back to the tank originally selected, and initiated a forced landing in a crop (corn) field.

Subsequent to the accident, the fuel selector was found selected to the right fuel tank. The airplane was inverted and there was no fuel leakage from the fuel cap on that tank, although fuel was leaking out of the cap on the left tank. There was no fuel on the ground around the right tank or found in the foliage near the wreckage. When the wings were removed to move the airplane, one quart of fuel was removed from the right tank. After the airplane was righted the engine was started and ran with no noted mechanical anomalies.