20190629008559A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-24-250 · Brunswick, GA · June 29, 2019

Date: June 29, 2019 · 15:00 local
Place: Brunswick, GA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8294P
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA19CA382
Reported as: Piper PA-24-250
Reported engine: Lycoming O-540-A1B5
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 189 total34 in this make and model1 in the last 90 days

N8294PRegistration cancelled Dec 5, 2020 · Piper PA-24-250S/N 24-3547 · Built 1963 Airframe modelPiper PA-24-250 Engine modelLycoming O-540-A1B5Reciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Pilot states that they had left the LL22 (chi) airport and were enroute to ssi for a family get together. They did deviate for weather a few times during the flight. They noticed that the fuel guage was fluctuating and shortly after that the engine started to sputter. The pilot decided to divert to Brunswick airport. The engine cut off, about 4 miles short of the bqk airport. The pilot started to look for an area to land. They could not make the airport. He picked a spot on land, away from the water and trees. He landed in a swamppy area with no injuries to anybody. The aircraft was recovered on 7/2/2019. It was lifted out of the swamp area, by helicopter and brought to shore.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATES THAT THEY HAD LEFT THE LL22 (CHI) AIRPORT AND WERE ENROUTE TO SSI FOR A FAMILY GET TOGETHER. THEY DID DEVIATE FOR WEATHER A FEW TIMES DURING THE FLIGHT. THEY NOTICED THAT THE FUEL GUAGE WAS FLUCTUATING AND SHORTLY AFTER THAT THE ENGINE STARTED TO SPUTTER. THE PILOT DECIDED TO DIVERT TO BRUNSWICK AIRPORT. THE ENGINE CUT OFF, ABOUT 4 MILES SHORT OF THE BQK AIRPORT. THE PILOT STARTED TO LOOK FOR AN AREA TO LAND. THEY COULD NOT MAKE THE AIRPORT. HE PICKED A SPOT ON LAND, AWAY FROM THE WATER AND TREES. HE LANDED IN A SWAMPPY AREA WITH NO INJURIES TO ANYBODY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED ON 7/2/2019. IT WAS LIFTED OUT OF THE SWAMP AREA, BY HELICOPTER AND BROUGHT TO SHORE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB GAA19CA382Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportBrunswick, GAThe pilot's failure to properly lean the fuel mixture in flight, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a subsequent total loss of engine power, and a forced landing with the landing gear retracted.Jun 29, 2019 · Substantial damage