What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 20, 2020 at 2130 local a CE-182A made and emergency landing on rt. 422 near Birdsboro pa.
During a post accident interview the pilot stated that he departed portsmouth airport (psm) direct smoketown airport (S37) with 55 gallons of fuel and 2 passengers on board. While at 4500 ft MSL, 22.1 miles from their destination, he said that he noticed a decrease in engine performance. He stated that he was unable to maintain altitude and drifted down to 3700 ft. he then contacted approach, advised them of the situation, and declared an emergency. He said he immediately established best glide speed and began looking to land at either reading (rdg) or pottstown (N47). He determined he was unable to make it to either airport and decided that his best option was to land on rt. 422 since it was night and it was the only lit up area in the vicinity. After landing, the airplane struck two vehicles before coming to a full stop. The pilot stated that he still had partial power (1200 RPM) during the flare. He did not notice any oil on the cowling or anything else out of the ordinary during a post flight walk around.
On July 22, 2020 a post accident inspection was conducted by inspector privacy data omitted produced the following information: the fuel strainer was found full and clean, with fuel consistent with 100LL, and containing no water. The oil filter was removed, cut open, and inspected for metallic particles with none noted. The oil level was correct and no discrepancies were noted with the condition. The air filter was removed and found to be serviceable, and the carburetor throat was clear of obstructions. The throttle, mixture control, and carburetor heat controls were checked for continuity with no discrepancies noted. The spark plugs were removed and both magnetos checked for operation with no discrepancies noted. A field compression check of all 6 cylinders was accomplished (using my thumb), and all cylinders appear to have good compression. The on-site mechanic assembled a 1-quart fuel can and attached it to the right wing fuel pick-up for engine runs. Engine runs were accomplished twice, with the second run going to power at 2400+RPM, and no anomalies. All indications were found to be normal. A review of the aircraft, engine and propeller logbooks reveals no maintenance issues, and all inspections are up-to-date. The last annual inspection was accomplished on July 16, 2020.
The a & p mechanic involved in the aircraft disassembly and removal from accident scene stated that the right wing tank had absolutely no fuel in it and the left wing tank had about 4 gallons of fuel in it.
During a secondary interview with the pilot he was asked if he visually checked the fuel level before departing psm. He stated that he did not remember.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 20, 2020 AT 2130 LOCAL A CE-182A MADE AND EMERGENCY LANDING ON RT. 422 NEAR BIRDSBORO PA.
DURING A POST ACCIDENT INTERVIEW THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DEPARTED PORTSMOUTH AIRPORT (PSM) DIRECT SMOKETOWN AIRPORT (S37) WITH 55 GALLONS OF FUEL AND 2 PASSENGERS ON BOARD. WHILE AT 4500 FT MSL, 22.1 MILES FROM THEIR DESTINATION, HE SAID THAT HE NOTICED A DECREASE IN ENGINE PERFORMANCE. HE STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND DRIFTED DOWN TO 3700 FT. HE THEN CONTACTED APPROACH, ADVISED THEM OF THE SITUATION, AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. HE SAID HE IMMEDIATELY ESTABLISHED BEST GLIDE SPEED AND BEGAN LOOKING TO LAND AT EITHER READING (RDG) OR POTTSTOWN (N47). HE DETERMINED HE WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT TO EITHER AIRPORT AND DECIDED THAT HIS BEST OPTION WAS TO LAND ON RT. 422 SINCE IT WAS NIGHT AND IT WAS THE ONLY LIT UP AREA IN THE VICINITY. AFTER LANDING, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TWO VEHICLES BEFORE COMING TO A FULL STOP. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE STILL HAD PARTIAL POWER (1200 RPM) DURING THE FLARE. HE DID NOT NOTICE ANY OIL ON THE COWLING OR ANYTHING ELSE OUT OF THE ORDINARY DURING A POST FLIGHT WALK AROUND.
ON JULY 22, 2020 A POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED BY INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PRODUCED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: THE FUEL STRAINER WAS FOUND FULL AND CLEAN, WITH FUEL CONSISTENT WITH 100LL, AND CONTAINING NO WATER. THE OIL FILTER WAS REMOVED, CUT OPEN, AND INSPECTED FOR METALLIC PARTICLES WITH NONE NOTED. THE OIL LEVEL WAS CORRECT AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED WITH THE CONDITION. THE AIR FILTER WAS REMOVED AND FOUND TO BE SERVICEABLE, AND THE CARBURETOR THROAT WAS CLEAR OF OBSTRUCTIONS. THE THROTTLE, MIXTURE CONTROL, AND CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROLS WERE CHECKED FOR CONTINUITY WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. THE SPARK PLUGS WERE REMOVED AND BOTH MAGNETOS CHECKED FOR OPERATION WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. A FIELD COMPRESSION CHECK OF ALL 6 CYLINDERS WAS ACCOMPLISHED (USING MY THUMB), AND ALL CYLINDERS APPEAR TO HAVE GOOD COMPRESSION. THE ON-SITE MECHANIC ASSEMBLED A 1-QUART FUEL CAN AND ATTACHED IT TO THE RIGHT WING FUEL PICK-UP FOR ENGINE RUNS. ENGINE RUNS WERE ACCOMPLISHED TWICE, WITH THE SECOND RUN GOING TO POWER AT 2400+RPM, AND NO ANOMALIES. ALL INDICATIONS WERE FOUND TO BE NORMAL. A REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT, ENGINE AND PROPELLER LOGBOOKS REVEALS NO MAINTENANCE ISSUES, AND ALL INSPECTIONS ARE UP-TO-DATE. THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS ACCOMPLISHED ON JULY 16, 2020.
THE A & P MECHANIC INVOLVED IN THE AIRCRAFT DISASSEMBLY AND REMOVAL FROM ACCIDENT SCENE STATED THAT THE RIGHT WING TANK HAD ABSOLUTELY NO FUEL IN IT AND THE LEFT WING TANK HAD ABOUT 4 GALLONS OF FUEL IN IT.
DURING A SECONDARY INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT HE WAS ASKED IF HE VISUALLY CHECKED THE FUEL LEVEL BEFORE DEPARTING PSM. HE STATED THAT HE DID NOT REMEMBER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.