What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 12, 2022 at approximately 1557 central daylight time (CDT), a Piper PA-24-250 airplane was substantially damaged during an emergency landing on a gravel road approximately 2 miles north of the Kearney regional airport (kear) Kearney, NE.
The pilot reported the flight was planned to originate from cozad municipal airport (kczd) cozad, NE. With a final destination of Kearney regional airport (kear). The trip was planned as a direct flight for the purpose of an annual inspection.
A weather briefing was obtained from foreflight, and the pilot reported the fuel gauges indicated 1/4 on the left and 1/8 on the right prior to departure. Approximatley 10 NM from kear the pilot reported on UNICOM aircraft position, and would enter a right base for runway 18. Approximately 30 seconds later the engine quit. The pilot then turned on the fuel pump, switched tanks, and attempted to restart the engine but was unsucessful.
The aircraft was trimmed for 65 knots and a gravel road was selected for landing. Due to power lines near the touchdown area the pilot elected not to extend the landing gear until the power lines were cleared. The aircraft landing gear was not fully extended upon touchdown, and the aircraft sustained damage to the fuselage, engine cowling, and propeller. The aircraft came to a final rest on a gravel road. The pilot exited the aircraft without injury or assistance.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 12, 2022 AT APPROXIMATELY 1557 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME (CDT), A PIPER PA-24-250 AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A GRAVEL ROAD APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES NORTH OF THE KEARNEY REGIONAL AIRPORT (KEAR) KEARNEY, NE.
THE PILOT REPORTED THE FLIGHT WAS PLANNED TO ORIGINATE FROM COZAD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KCZD) COZAD, NE. WITH A FINAL DESTINATION OF KEARNEY REGIONAL AIRPORT (KEAR). THE TRIP WAS PLANNED AS A DIRECT FLIGHT FOR THE PURPOSE OF AN ANNUAL INSPECTION.
A WEATHER BRIEFING WAS OBTAINED FROM FOREFLIGHT, AND THE PILOT REPORTED THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED 1/4 ON THE LEFT AND 1/8 ON THE RIGHT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. APPROXIMATLEY 10 NM FROM KEAR THE PILOT REPORTED ON UNICOM AIRCRAFT POSITION, AND WOULD ENTER A RIGHT BASE FOR RUNWAY 18. APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS LATER THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT THEN TURNED ON THE FUEL PUMP, SWITCHED TANKS, AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT WAS UNSUCESSFUL.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS TRIMMED FOR 65 KNOTS AND A GRAVEL ROAD WAS SELECTED FOR LANDING. DUE TO POWER LINES NEAR THE TOUCHDOWN AREA THE PILOT ELECTED NOT TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR UNTIL THE POWER LINES WERE CLEARED. THE AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR WAS NOT FULLY EXTENDED UPON TOUCHDOWN, AND THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, ENGINE COWLING, AND PROPELLER. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A FINAL REST ON A GRAVEL ROAD. THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY OR ASSISTANCE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.