What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 21, 1998 at 1755 eastern standard time, a Piper pa 25-235, N8648L collided with the ground during an emergency landing following a loss of engine power during cruise flight near Perry Foley, Florida. The airplane was operated by the commercial pilot under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilot was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated in brownfield, Texas, exact time unknown. According to both FAA inspector and the pilot, the airplane had no fuel but should not have run out of fuel. They stated the airplane should have reached it destination, hollywood, Florida, with adequate fuel reserves. During further examination by the FAA inspector, it was noted that the engine contained adequate oil and showed no signs of seizure. Also the fuel tank did not rupture and contained only residual fuel. It was also noted by the FAA inspector that the carburetor bowl drain plug was missing, and the fuel line from the fuel tank to the firewall shutoff valve was loose and leaking. According to the FAA inspector, the airplane had recentlyundergone an annual inspection after being in extended storage. (-23) engine failed in flight. The pilot attempted an emergency landing on a dirt road. The aircraft impacted trees and the pilot lost control. A drain plug became unsecured causing a loss of fuel.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 21, 1998 AT 1755 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA 25-235, N8648L COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING CRUISE FLIGHT NEAR PERRY FOLEY, FLORIDA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE COMMERCIAL PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED, AND THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN BROWNFIELD, TEXAS, EXACT TIME UNKNOWN. ACCORDING TO BOTH FAA INSPECTOR AND THE PILOT, THE AIRPLANE HAD NO FUEL BUT SHOULD NOT HAVE RUN OUT OF FUEL. THEY STATED THE AIRPLANE SHOULD HAVE REACHED IT DESTINATION, HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA, WITH ADEQUATE FUEL RESERVES. DURING FURTHER EXAMINATION BY THE FAA INSPECTOR, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE ENGINE CONTAINED ADEQUATE OIL AND SHOWED NO SIGNS OF SEIZURE. ALSO THE FUEL TANK DID NOT RUPTURE AND CONTAINED ONLY RESIDUAL FUEL. IT WAS ALSO NOTED BY THE FAA INSPECTOR THAT THE CARBURETOR BOWL DRAIN PLUG WAS MISSING, AND THE FUEL LINE FROM THE FUEL TANK TO THE FIREWALL SHUTOFF VALVE WAS LOOSE AND LEAKING. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR, THE AIRPLANE HAD RECENTLYUNDERGONE AN ANNUAL INSPECTION AFTER BEING IN EXTENDED STORAGE. (-23) ENGINE FAILED IN FLIGHT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A DIRT ROAD. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREES AND THE PILOT LOST CONTROL. A DRAIN PLUG BECAME UNSECURED CAUSING A LOSS OF FUEL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.