What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 1, 2020 at 12:45 eastern daylight time (EDT), a Piper PA-24-250 aircraft, N5939P, registered to privacy data omitted and operated by a private pilot for a personal flight received substantial damage when it struck a large grassy mound while trying to land in a field after reporting an engine failure.
Visual meteorological conditions and calm winds prevailed at the time of the accident. The private flight was being conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and received serious injuries and the female passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. The flight originated from Jack Barstow Airport, (kikw) Midland, MI at approximately 12:30 EDT. The pilot purchased 18 gallons of fuel at kikw at 12:17 EDT then departed from runway 36. Six miles north of the airport the pilot called UNICOM and reported engine trouble and stated that he was returning for a landing. A few seconds later, he reported he was going down in a field.
Weather was reported at kikw 9/1/2020 1635Z wind calm temp 73F dew point 62 altimeter 2923
Examination of the accident site revealed that the aircraft impacted a large grassy mound in a pasture and came to rest upright about 50 feet north west of the crater. All major structural components of the airplane stayed intact. The aux fuel pump and screens showed small amounts of fuel with no contamination. Both fuel tanks were empty. The left fuel tank was ruptured. The right tank was intact but the drain valve was sheared off. The fuel selector was on the right tank. The wreckage is being transported to a secure location for further examination. Last annual inspection was on 6/16/2020.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 AT 12:45 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (EDT), A PIPER PA-24-250 AIRCRAFT, N5939P, REGISTERED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT FOR A PERSONAL FLIGHT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT STRUCK A LARGE GRASSY MOUND WHILE TRYING TO LAND IN A FIELD AFTER REPORTING AN ENGINE FAILURE.
VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND CALM WINDS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PRIVATE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT AND RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES AND THE FEMALE PASSENGER WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM JACK BARSTOW AIRPORT, (KIKW) MIDLAND, MI AT APPROXIMATELY 12:30 EDT. THE PILOT PURCHASED 18 GALLONS OF FUEL AT KIKW AT 12:17 EDT THEN DEPARTED FROM RUNWAY 36. SIX MILES NORTH OF THE AIRPORT THE PILOT CALLED UNICOM AND REPORTED ENGINE TROUBLE AND STATED THAT HE WAS RETURNING FOR A LANDING. A FEW SECONDS LATER, HE REPORTED HE WAS GOING DOWN IN A FIELD.
WEATHER WAS REPORTED AT KIKW 9/1/2020 1635Z WIND CALM TEMP 73F DEW POINT 62 ALTIMETER 2923
EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A LARGE GRASSY MOUND IN A PASTURE AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT ABOUT 50 FEET NORTH WEST OF THE CRATER. ALL MAJOR STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS OF THE AIRPLANE STAYED INTACT. THE AUX FUEL PUMP AND SCREENS SHOWED SMALL AMOUNTS OF FUEL WITH NO CONTAMINATION. BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY. THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS RUPTURED. THE RIGHT TANK WAS INTACT BUT THE DRAIN VALVE WAS SHEARED OFF. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE RIGHT TANK. THE WRECKAGE IS BEING TRANSPORTED TO A SECURE LOCATION FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS ON 6/16/2020.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.