Piper PA-32RT-300 N9519C

Summary

On 21 July 2023 at about 19:10 local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300 registered N9519C was involved in an accident near Mount Gilead, Ohio, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 July 2023 at 19:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Mount Gilead, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Morrow County (4I9)

Coordinates

40.5204, -82.8168

Aircraft

Piper PA-32RT-300

Registration

N9519C

Category

Airplane

Year built

1978

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Norfolk → Findlay

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA23LA306

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot’s improper fuel management by not switching fuel tanks in flight, resulting in fuel starvation to the engine and a total loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was about 30 minutes from his destination when the engine lost total power. He conducted the emergency procedures for an engine power loss, notified air traffic control, and looked for an opening in the clouds. He was unable to glide to a suitable airport, so he performed a forced landing into a soybean field with the landing gear retracted. The airplane came to rest in the field; however, substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing resulted. An examination of the wreckage after the accident did not reveal evidence of a malfunction or anomaly that would have prevented normal operation of the airplane and engine. The left wing fuel tank was dry when examined after the accident, and the right wing contained about 25 gallons of fuel. The pilot later reported that he exhausted the fuel supply from the left tank and failed to switch to the right tank after the loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.