N6144J

On June 22, 2008, about 1250 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-200 (Arrow II), N6144J, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Watseka, Illinois. The pilot was receiving flight-following services at the time. The personal cross-country flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot was uninjured and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight departed French Lick Municipal Airport (FRH), French Lick, Indiana, about 1110. The intended destination was Lansing Municipal Airport (IGQ), Lansing, Illinois.

The pilot stated the airplane was in cruise flight at the time of the loss of engine power. He noted that flight-following services were obtained after departure, and the flight diverted west of course to avoid weather. He added that the navigation instruments seemed to be inaccurate, and as a result, the flight got off course to an extent that the controller inquired about the intended route of flight. The controller subsequently provided a radar vector back on course.

The flight was cruising at 4,500 feet mean sea level (msl). The pilot initiated a descent in order to avoid some clouds ahead. As the airplane descended through approximately 4,000 feet msl, the engine started to sputter. He switched fuel tanks, but could not restore engine power. He set up for a forced landing to a roadway. The airplane touched down on the road and bounced once. It subsequently departed the left side of the road where it impacted an embankment before coming to rest.

According to the pilot, the airplane was topped off prior to the initial departure from IGQ, but it had not been fueled prior to the return flight. The airplane's fuel gauges indicated one-quarter full in one tank and full in the other tank. He noted that he had set the fuel flow at 11 gallons per hour (gph) during the flight.

The airplane log sheet indicated that it had been flown 3.7 hours since departure from IGQ en route to FRH, the day before the accident. The airplane flight manual noted that the fuel consumption at 75-percent power was approximately 10.15 gph, with the engine properly leaned. The usable fuel capacity was 48 gallons.

An examination of the airplane revealed no systems anomalies that could have contributed to the power loss or the accident.