N8274H

On November 28, 2023, about 1031 central standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, N8274H, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota. The pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that he departed from Crystal Airport (MIC), near Minneapolis, Minnesota, about 0710. He noted that he departed with full fuel (48 gallons) onboard. He then flew the airplane to Watertown Regional Airport (ATY), near Watertown, South Dakota, a flight which he said took about 2 hours due to a headwind encountered along the route. He performed a touch-and-go landing at ATY and then proceeded back toward MIC, which he said took about 1hour 15 minutes due to a tailwind. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data confirmed that the flight lasted 3 hours and 26 minutes.

The pilot stated that during the flight he switched the selected fuel tank every 30 minutes and noted that the airplane was equipped with a fuel timer to remind the pilot when to switch the fuel tanks. As he approached MIC, he contacted the control tower and was given instructions for sequencing to land on runway 14. When he turned onto a right base for runway 14, the engine lost partial power momentarily. He stated that he pushed the throttle control forward and the engine power was restored. He then started the turn to the final approach for runway 14 and the engine lost all power. The pilot noted that the engine had remained under power for 30 seconds to one minute following the momentary power loss before it lost all power.

The pilot notified the tower controller of his engine issues and began emergency procedures that included switching fuel tanks, turning the magnetos off and back on, checking that the primer was locked, checking the throttle was full forward and the mixture was rich, turning on the fuel pump, and applying carburetor heat. These procedures were unsuccessful in restoring engine power, and he executed a forced landing to a road. During the forced landing the airplane struck a powerline and a vehicle, which resulted in substantial damage to the wing and fuselage. The driver of the vehicle received minor injuries.

Postaccident examination of the airplane shortly after the accident revealed that the left fuel tank was not compromised but the tank drain was leaking fuel. The left fuel tank did not contain any usable fuel. The leakage rate from the left fuel tank drain was not determined. Removal of the fuel tank drain revealed that the o-ring seal was deformed and gouged. The right fuel tank contained an undetermined amount of usable fuel. Subsequent examination revealed no other anomalies that would have prevented normal engine operation.

When queried after the accident, the pilot reported that the airplane was operating on the right fuel tank when the initial and subsequent power losses occurred. He stated that he switched from the right fuel tank to the left fuel tank during the troubleshooting procedures he attempted. He noted that the engine did not continue windmilling and the propeller stopped. He stated that he attempted to restart the engine by engaging the starter once and the propeller turned but then stopped again. At that point, he focused on the forced landing.