What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 20, 2019, at approximately 6PM EST, N4726S, a Piper PA-32-260, s/n 32-1165 was traveling from islip, long island (isp), NY to rutland, Vermont (rut). privacy data omitted, Private pilot certificate no. privacy data omitted Was piloting the aircraft with two passengers and a canine. As stated by privacy data omitted, his flight started around 5 pm from islip, NY with the fuel tank selector in the right tank indicator position and approximately 84 gallons onboard spread over two inboard and two outboard fuel tanks. Midway through Massachusetts N4726S began experiencing a rough running engine, which privacy data omitted disregarded as normal. privacy data omitted Continued the flight without performing any engine or fuel checks for the rough running engine. Upon reaching the mass/vt boarder the aircraft experienced a major loss of engine power. privacy data omitted States he checked throttle setting and mixture while the aircraft started loosing altitude. privacy data omitted Also stated he attempted to perform the emergency procedures checklist but was distracted and was overwhelmed flying the plane and trying to find a place to land.
privacy data omitted Stated he chose to fly the aircraft rather than address the rough running engine and eventual loss of engine power. Responding to the loss of power, privacy data omitted radioed boston ATC looking for emergency instructions and declaring a pan-pan. Boston ATC responded giving instruction to check throttle position, mixture settings, carburator heat, boost pump, and fuel tank selection. Still unsuccessfull in restoring power to N4726S, privacy data omitted requested to be vectored to the nearest airport. Boston ATC informed privacy data omitted of two airports in the area giving heading and distance information for both. privacy data omitted Chose to vector to north adams, MA (aqw) per ATC instructions 8 miles away. N4726S went off radar and crashed into a heavily wooded area approximately 1500 ft. from church road, Florida, Massachusetts. The aircraft was destroyed and resulted in two minor injuries and one serious injury.
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 20, 2019, AT APPROXIMATELY 6PM EST, N4726S, A PIPER PA-32-260, S/N 32-1165 WAS TRAVELING FROM ISLIP, LONG ISLAND (ISP), NY TO RUTLAND, VERMONT (RUT). ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE NO. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS PILOTING THE AIRCRAFT WITH TWO PASSENGERS AND A CANINE. AS STATED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, HIS FLIGHT STARTED AROUND 5 PM FROM ISLIP, NY WITH THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR IN THE RIGHT TANK INDICATOR POSITION AND APPROXIMATELY 84 GALLONS ONBOARD SPREAD OVER TWO INBOARD AND TWO OUTBOARD FUEL TANKS. MIDWAY THROUGH MASSACHUSETTS N4726S BEGAN EXPERIENCING A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE, WHICH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DISREGARDED AS NORMAL. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CONTINUED THE FLIGHT WITHOUT PERFORMING ANY ENGINE OR FUEL CHECKS FOR THE ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. UPON REACHING THE MASS/VT BOARDER THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A MAJOR LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATES HE CHECKED THROTTLE SETTING AND MIXTURE WHILE THE AIRCRAFT STARTED LOOSING ALTITUDE. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ALSO STATED HE ATTEMPTED TO PERFORM THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES CHECKLIST BUT WAS DISTRACTED AND WAS OVERWHELMED FLYING THE PLANE AND TRYING TO FIND A PLACE TO LAND.
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED HE CHOSE TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT RATHER THAN ADDRESS THE ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE AND EVENTUAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. RESPONDING TO THE LOSS OF POWER, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ RADIOED BOSTON ATC LOOKING FOR EMERGENCY INSTRUCTIONS AND DECLARING A PAN-PAN. BOSTON ATC RESPONDED GIVING INSTRUCTION TO CHECK THROTTLE POSITION, MIXTURE SETTINGS, CARBURATOR HEAT, BOOST PUMP, AND FUEL TANK SELECTION. STILL UNSUCCESSFULL IN RESTORING POWER TO N4726S, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REQUESTED TO BE VECTORED TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. BOSTON ATC INFORMED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OF TWO AIRPORTS IN THE AREA GIVING HEADING AND DISTANCE INFORMATION FOR BOTH. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CHOSE TO VECTOR TO NORTH ADAMS, MA (AQW) PER ATC INSTRUCTIONS 8 MILES AWAY. N4726S WENT OFF RADAR AND CRASHED INTO A HEAVILY WOODED AREA APPROXIMATELY 1500 FT. FROM CHURCH ROAD, FLORIDA, MASSACHUSETTS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND RESULTED IN TWO MINOR INJURIES AND ONE SERIOUS INJURY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.