What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 29 June at approximately 1600(l) a 1976 cherokee 6 300, s/n 32-7740023, 3742.02 actt with IO-540-K1G5, 3742 ett, 1741.2 TSO received substantial damage during a forced landing at Mid-Carolina Regional Airport (ruq) after an engine failure. The pilot and two (2) passengers were uninjured in the accident. The aircraft was on a part 91 flight that originated at long island macarthur airport (isp) and was en route to lake norman airpark (14A) with a planned fuel stop at ocean city MD (sby). The aircraft was piloted by a private pilot, 457 total time, 38 hours time in type. The pilot has a current third class medical and his last flight review was 09/12/2016.
The flight from isp to sby was uneventful and the pilot purchased 24 gallons of 100LL at bay land aviation, 410-749-0323 at sby to "top off"main tanks. Pilot reported that he visually checked the fuel and completed a walk around inspection and engine ground runs prior to departing sby. Pilot said that after takeoff he noticed the left main fuel camp was not properly seated and he requested to return to the airport to secure the cap. After landing, the pilot removed the cap, checked fuel level, properly secured cap then departed once again.
The flight from sby to 14A was planned for 2 hours and 18 minutes. Engine was leaned to 15 gallons per hour fuel burn and pilot alternated between main tanks every half hour.
Pilot notice the engine RPM decreasing and when he looked at the tachometer the RPM had decreased from 2400 to 1500 and within 15 seconds the engine had quit producing power. Pilot attempted a restart but was unsuccessful. Pilot declared an emergency and requested vectors to the closest airport. Atlanta center told him ruq was the closest but the runway was closed for resurfacing. Pilot elected to attempt the emergency landing on field at rqy. Once the pilot noticed personnel and equipment on the runway he attempted to land on the grass area between the parallel taxi way and runway. During the roll-out the nose landing gear collapsed, the right main landing gear axel and main wheel assembly separated from the aircraft.
Due to fuel leaking from the left wing, rowan county emergency response was called out to the scene to defuel the aircraft. The hazmat team defueled approximately 55 gallons of fuel from the aircraft. In addition, an undetermined amount of fuel leaked out of the aircraft.
The NTSB has retained the wreckage for further examination
Ref nptrs 201803557
As the FAA filed it
ON 29 JUNE AT APPROXIMATELY 1600(L) A 1976 CHEROKEE 6 300, S/N 32-7740023, 3742.02 ACTT WITH IO-540-K1G5, 3742 ETT, 1741.2 TSO RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING AT MID-CAROLINA REGIONAL AIRPORT (RUQ) AFTER AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE PILOT AND TWO (2) PASSENGERS WERE UNINJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A PART 91 FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED AT LONG ISLAND MACARTHUR AIRPORT (ISP) AND WAS EN ROUTE TO LAKE NORMAN AIRPARK (14A) WITH A PLANNED FUEL STOP AT OCEAN CITY MD (SBY). THE AIRCRAFT WAS PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, 457 TOTAL TIME, 38 HOURS TIME IN TYPE. THE PILOT HAS A CURRENT THIRD CLASS MEDICAL AND HIS LAST FLIGHT REVIEW WAS 09/12/2016.
THE FLIGHT FROM ISP TO SBY WAS UNEVENTFUL AND THE PILOT PURCHASED 24 GALLONS OF 100LL AT BAY LAND AVIATION, 410-749-0323 AT SBY TO "TOP OFF"MAIN TANKS. PILOT REPORTED THAT HE VISUALLY CHECKED THE FUEL AND COMPLETED A WALK AROUND INSPECTION AND ENGINE GROUND RUNS PRIOR TO DEPARTING SBY. PILOT SAID THAT AFTER TAKEOFF HE NOTICED THE LEFT MAIN FUEL CAMP WAS NOT PROPERLY SEATED AND HE REQUESTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT TO SECURE THE CAP. AFTER LANDING, THE PILOT REMOVED THE CAP, CHECKED FUEL LEVEL, PROPERLY SECURED CAP THEN DEPARTED ONCE AGAIN.
THE FLIGHT FROM SBY TO 14A WAS PLANNED FOR 2 HOURS AND 18 MINUTES. ENGINE WAS LEANED TO 15 GALLONS PER HOUR FUEL BURN AND PILOT ALTERNATED BETWEEN MAIN TANKS EVERY HALF HOUR.
PILOT NOTICE THE ENGINE RPM DECREASING AND WHEN HE LOOKED AT THE TACHOMETER THE RPM HAD DECREASED FROM 2400 TO 1500 AND WITHIN 15 SECONDS THE ENGINE HAD QUIT PRODUCING POWER. PILOT ATTEMPTED A RESTART BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE CLOSEST AIRPORT. ATLANTA CENTER TOLD HIM RUQ WAS THE CLOSEST BUT THE RUNWAY WAS CLOSED FOR RESURFACING. PILOT ELECTED TO ATTEMPT THE EMERGENCY LANDING ON FIELD AT RQY. ONCE THE PILOT NOTICED PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT ON THE RUNWAY HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON THE GRASS AREA BETWEEN THE PARALLEL TAXI WAY AND RUNWAY. DURING THE ROLL-OUT THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR AXEL AND MAIN WHEEL ASSEMBLY SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT.
DUE TO FUEL LEAKING FROM THE LEFT WING, ROWAN COUNTY EMERGENCY RESPONSE WAS CALLED OUT TO THE SCENE TO DEFUEL THE AIRCRAFT. THE HAZMAT TEAM DEFUELED APPROXIMATELY 55 GALLONS OF FUEL FROM THE AIRCRAFT. IN ADDITION, AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF FUEL LEAKED OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT.
THE NTSB HAS RETAINED THE WRECKAGE FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION
REF NPTRS 201803557
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8440F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.