What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 11/25/2017 at approximately 1530 EST, Piper PA-140 aircraft, N57351, operating under part 91 in VMC conditions lost power and crashed into a marsh in the vicinity of Tarpon Springs, FL. The pilot was not injured. The airplane sustained subtantial damage when the right wing tip contacted a utility power pole during the landing attempt.
The pilot was conducting a pleasure flight and was the sole occupant of the aircraft. He departed tampa executive airport (vdf) at approximately 1330 and flew in the local area for about an hour near st. petersburg and indian rocks beach before turning toward vdf for landing. Approximately 4 miles east of Tarpon Springs, FL at an altitude of 2500' N57531 lost power. The pilot selected the right fuel tank and turned on the fuel pump. The engine failed to start. The pilot then returned the fuel selector back to the left tank but the restart attempt was unsuccessful.
The pilot selected a large pasture area and performed a forced landing to the east. On short final the right wing tip contacted a utility pole at an altitude of 5'. The airplane touched down in soft loam and continued on for 75 to 100 yards before the nose wheel separated. The aircraft went an addition 10 to 15 yards and came to rest upright and headed 90 degrees to the approach path.
The right wing sustained severe damage but did not rupture the fuel tank.
Inspection disclosed fuel in the right tank at the tabs (approximately 18 gallons) and the left tank was empty. There was no evidence of fuel spillage from either tank. The propeller sustained damage consistant with a prop strike at very low RPM. The condition of the engine did not indicate any component failure.
As the FAA filed it
ON 11/25/2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 EST, PIPER PA-140 AIRCRAFT, N57351, OPERATING UNDER PART 91 IN VMC CONDITIONS LOST POWER AND CRASHED INTO A MARSH IN THE VICINITY OF TARPON SPRINGS, FL. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN THE RIGHT WING TIP CONTACTED A UTILITY POWER POLE DURING THE LANDING ATTEMPT.
THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A PLEASURE FLIGHT AND WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE DEPARTED TAMPA EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (VDF) AT APPROXIMATELY 1330 AND FLEW IN THE LOCAL AREA FOR ABOUT AN HOUR NEAR ST. PETERSBURG AND INDIAN ROCKS BEACH BEFORE TURNING TOWARD VDF FOR LANDING. APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES EAST OF TARPON SPRINGS, FL AT AN ALTITUDE OF 2500' N57531 LOST POWER. THE PILOT SELECTED THE RIGHT FUEL TANK AND TURNED ON THE FUEL PUMP. THE ENGINE FAILED TO START. THE PILOT THEN RETURNED THE FUEL SELECTOR BACK TO THE LEFT TANK BUT THE RESTART ATTEMPT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL.
THE PILOT SELECTED A LARGE PASTURE AREA AND PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING TO THE EAST. ON SHORT FINAL THE RIGHT WING TIP CONTACTED A UTILITY POLE AT AN ALTITUDE OF 5'. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN SOFT LOAM AND CONTINUED ON FOR 75 TO 100 YARDS BEFORE THE NOSE WHEEL SEPARATED. THE AIRCRAFT WENT AN ADDITION 10 TO 15 YARDS AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT AND HEADED 90 DEGREES TO THE APPROACH PATH.
THE RIGHT WING SUSTAINED SEVERE DAMAGE BUT DID NOT RUPTURE THE FUEL TANK.
INSPECTION DISCLOSED FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK AT THE TABS (APPROXIMATELY 18 GALLONS) AND THE LEFT TANK WAS EMPTY. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SPILLAGE FROM EITHER TANK. THE PROPELLER SUSTAINED DAMAGE CONSISTANT WITH A PROP STRIKE AT VERY LOW RPM. THE CONDITION OF THE ENGINE DID NOT INDICATE ANY COMPONENT FAILURE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.