20200711010969A

ON JULY 11, 2020, AT APPROXIMATELY 12:05 A.M. EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (0405 ZULU), PIPER PA32-30 CHEROKEE 6, N22111 COLLIDED WITH TREES AND A FENCE LOCATED AT THE AIRPORT BOUNDARY ON THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 24 AT THE SPRINGFIED-BECKLEY MUNCIPAL AIRPORT (SGH) SPRINGFIELD, OHIO. THE PILOT SAID AT THE INITIAL INTERVIEW, THE ACCIDENT WAS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE AIRCRAFT IS REGISTERED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE UNINJURED IN THE ACCIDENT AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FROM COLLIDING WITH TREES AND A FENCE. NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE SGH WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS WIND 290 DEGREES AT 9 KNOTS, VISIBILITY 10 NAUTICAL MILES AND SKY CLEAR. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. FLIGHT FOLLOWING WAS USED ENROUTE TO SGH. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED OCEAN CITY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (26N) APPROXIMATELY AT 7:35 P.M. EASTERN DALYLIGHT TIME (2335 ZULU)

THE PILOT STATED THE FLIGHT ORIGINALLY DEPARTED FROM THE LINCOLN REGIONAL AIRPORT (IPJ), LINCOLNTON, NC ON JULY 10, 2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:45 AM LOCAL TIME TO CARROLL COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT (DMW), WESTMINSTER, MD. FLIGHTAWARE SHOWED THE FLIGHT TO DMW WAS 3:19. THE PILOT DEPARTED DMW AT APPROXIMATELY 2:12 PM LOCAL TIME WITH FULL FUEL TANKS OF 84 GALLON OF USEABLE FUEL FOR A 55 MINUTE FLIGHT TO OCEAN CITY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (26N), OCEAN CITY, NJ. BEFORE DEPARTING 26N AT APPROXIMATELY 7:35 PM LOCAL TIME, THE PILOT VISUALLY CHECKED THE WING TIP TANKS AND ESTIMATED BY VISUALLY MEASURING THE MAIN WING FUEL TABS AND SUBTRACTING THE CALCULATED FUEL CONSUMED ON THE TRIP FROM DMW TO 26N TO HAVE ABOUT 70 GALLONS OF TOTAL USABLE FUEL FOR THE FLIGHT TO SPRINGFIELD-BERKLEY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT.

THE FOREFLIGHT PROGRAM DETERMINED THE ESTIMATED TIME ENROUTE FOR THE 430 NAUNTICAL MILE DIRECT ROUTE FROM 26N TO SGH WAS 3 HOURS AND 17 MINUTES WITH AN ESTIMATED 10 KNOT HEADWIND AND WOULD REQUIRE AN ESTIMATED 50 GALLONS OF FUEL. FUEL COMSUMPTION WAS BASED ON 15 GALLONS PER HOUR FROM THE PILOT-OPERATING HANDBOOK. THE PILOT ESTIMATED HE HAD ABOUT 4 HOURS AND 36 MINUTES OF TOTAL FLIGHT TIME WITH THE 70 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL. THE ACTUAL TIME ENROUTE FROM TAKEOFF TO THE CRASH FOR THE 478 NAUTICAL MILE ROUTE FLOWN WAS APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS AND 24 MINUTES BASED ON DATA TAKEN FROM THE FLIGHTAWARE WEBSITE. AN ESTIMATED 66 GALLON OF FUEL AT 15 GALLONS PER HOUR WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR THE ACTUAL ROUTE FLOWN. DUE TO WEATHER ALONG HIS FLIGHT PATH WEST OF THE WASHINGTION DC AREA, AND THE CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINA AREA, THE PILOT HAD TO DEVIATE APPROXIMATELY 60 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF HIS INTENDED COURSE TO AVOID WEATHER. THE PILOT HAD TO MAKE MULTIPLE ALTITUDE CHANGES TO AVOID WEATHER AND ENCOUNTERED HIGHER THAN EXPECTED FORECASTED HEADWINDS ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THESE FACTORS COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE UNEXPECTED INCREASED FLIGHT TIME AND FUEL CONSUMED. THE PILOT MONITORED THE FUEL REMAINING AT THE DESTINATION USING THE FOREFLITE PROGRAM TO DETERMINE THE TIME REMAINING TO SGH BASED ON CURRENT HEADWINDS, FUEL REMAINING IN EACH TANK AFTER SWITCHING TO ANOTHER TANK, MENTAL CALCULATIONS OF FUEL REMAINING AND RANGE BASED ON 15 GALLONS PER HOUR FUEL CONSUMPTION. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THERE WOULD BE AN ADEQUATE RESERVE OF 7-10 GALLONS REMAINING ON LANDING.

ENGINE POWER WAS LOST SHORTLY AFTER CROSSING THE RNAV 24 FINAL APPROACH FIX. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BY SWITCHING FROM THE LEFT WING TIP TANK, AND THEN TO THE LEFT INBOARD TANK. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE BY SWITCHING TO THE OTHER FUEL TANKS FAILED. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST JUST INSIDE THE AIRPORT BOUNDARY ON THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 24. PROPELLER DAMAGE INDICATED THE ENGINE WAS NOT PRODUCING POWER AT IMPACT. THE TOTAL FUEL DRAINED FROM ALL FOUR TANKS WAS APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES INTO A 5 GALLON BUCKET.