What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 12, 2014, at approximately 12:00 noon eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-235, N15526, serial number 28-7310052 conducted an off airport landing, after experiencing an engine failure near Kokomo, Indiana.
The aircraft is registered to a corporation and was being operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and there was no flight plan filed for the proposed cross-county flight to henderson, Kentucky.
The pilot reports that he conducted a routine pre-flight of the aircraft and found that the tip tanks had approximately three to four gallons of fuel in them. Personnel from Kokomo Municipal Airport topped off the left and right main tanks which the pilot then sumped for water. He reports that none was found.
The aircraft was taxied to runway 23 where a complete runup was conducted and there were no issues with the aircraft/engine at this time.
After departing runway 23, the pilot turned on course and was climbing to 6,500 feet at approximately 1,000 feet per minute. As he went through 4,500 feet the engine failed.
The pilot reports that he established a best glide speed, turned back towards the airport, made a radio call to grissom approach, declared an emergency, and went through memory items for an engine failure. This included the changing of fuel tanks, and checking for carburetor ice. The engine did not restart.
After making a determination that he could not return to the Kokomo airport a landing was accomplished in a snow covered field, on a heading of east, approximately three miles southeast of the airport. The approach and landing were normal and on the roll out, just prior to stopping, the aircraft rotated to the right, coming to rest facing southbound.
There was no damage to the aircraft or property and the pilot reports no injuries to himself.
Upon arrival to the scene, the owner was able to start and run the engine through different power settings with no issues. Upon arrival to the scene, the FAA investigation also found the engine to operate normally. It was found that the left tip tank appeared to be empty with the main tanks full. The right tip tank appeared to have three to four gallons of fuel in it.
The pilot states that he believes he took off on the left main tank but admits it is possible the selector was on the left tip tank.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 12, 2014, AT APPROXIMATELY 12:00 NOON EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-28-235, N15526, SERIAL NUMBER 28-7310052 CONDUCTED AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING, AFTER EXPERIENCING AN ENGINE FAILURE NEAR KOKOMO, INDIANA.
THE AIRCRAFT IS REGISTERED TO A CORPORATION AND WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND THERE WAS NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED FOR THE PROPOSED CROSS-COUNTY FLIGHT TO HENDERSON, KENTUCKY.
THE PILOT REPORTS THAT HE CONDUCTED A ROUTINE PRE-FLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND FOUND THAT THE TIP TANKS HAD APPROXIMATELY THREE TO FOUR GALLONS OF FUEL IN THEM. PERSONNEL FROM KOKOMO MUNICIPAL AIRPORT TOPPED OFF THE LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN TANKS WHICH THE PILOT THEN SUMPED FOR WATER. HE REPORTS THAT NONE WAS FOUND.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS TAXIED TO RUNWAY 23 WHERE A COMPLETE RUNUP WAS CONDUCTED AND THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH THE AIRCRAFT/ENGINE AT THIS TIME.
AFTER DEPARTING RUNWAY 23, THE PILOT TURNED ON COURSE AND WAS CLIMBING TO 6,500 FEET AT APPROXIMATELY 1,000 FEET PER MINUTE. AS HE WENT THROUGH 4,500 FEET THE ENGINE FAILED.
THE PILOT REPORTS THAT HE ESTABLISHED A BEST GLIDE SPEED, TURNED BACK TOWARDS THE AIRPORT, MADE A RADIO CALL TO GRISSOM APPROACH, DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, AND WENT THROUGH MEMORY ITEMS FOR AN ENGINE FAILURE. THIS INCLUDED THE CHANGING OF FUEL TANKS, AND CHECKING FOR CARBURETOR ICE. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESTART.
AFTER MAKING A DETERMINATION THAT HE COULD NOT RETURN TO THE KOKOMO AIRPORT A LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN A SNOW COVERED FIELD, ON A HEADING OF EAST, APPROXIMATELY THREE MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT. THE APPROACH AND LANDING WERE NORMAL AND ON THE ROLL OUT, JUST PRIOR TO STOPPING, THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED TO THE RIGHT, COMING TO REST FACING SOUTHBOUND.
THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT OR PROPERTY AND THE PILOT REPORTS NO INJURIES TO HIMSELF.
UPON ARRIVAL TO THE SCENE, THE OWNER WAS ABLE TO START AND RUN THE ENGINE THROUGH DIFFERENT POWER SETTINGS WITH NO ISSUES. UPON ARRIVAL TO THE SCENE, THE FAA INVESTIGATION ALSO FOUND THE ENGINE TO OPERATE NORMALLY. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE LEFT TIP TANK APPEARED TO BE EMPTY WITH THE MAIN TANKS FULL. THE RIGHT TIP TANK APPEARED TO HAVE THREE TO FOUR GALLONS OF FUEL IN IT.
THE PILOT STATES THAT HE BELIEVES HE TOOK OFF ON THE LEFT MAIN TANK BUT ADMITS IT IS POSSIBLE THE SELECTOR WAS ON THE LEFT TIP TANK.