What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 12/13/2022 at approximately 1100 local time, a Piper tomahawk PA-38-112 sustained substantial damage after exhausting its fuel supply and landing in a field approximately 2 miles south of the Richmond County Airport, NC (rcz). Weather conditions were VFR and the flight was conducted under part 91. PIC was current and qualified and the aircraft was airworthy. The pilot stated in part that the engine began to run rough about 10 miles south of the airport and quit shortly after. The PIC and passenger sustained no injuries. The PIC stated he did not calculate a weight and balance or reference performance charts prior to this flight. First responders verified that the aircraft fuel tanks were empty and no fuel was drained from the aircraft during the salvage operation. The PIC stated he had full fuel when departing orlando sanford, FL (sfb). Post accident weight and balance calculations provided by the PIC indicated a takeoff weight 45 pounds over max takeoff weight. First responder stated the PIC had a backpack, two smaller bags and a saddle with them when he drove them to get a rental car. Analysis of the historical flight plan data indicated that the aircraft’s ground speed reduced approximately 15 mph during the final hour and fifteen minutes of the flight.
Sas task T-EA68-FY23-0443
As the FAA filed it
ON 12/13/2022 AT APPROXIMATELY 1100 LOCAL TIME, A PIPER TOMAHAWK PA-38-112 SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AFTER EXHAUSTING ITS FUEL SUPPLY AND LANDING IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES SOUTH OF THE RICHMOND COUNTY AIRPORT, NC (RCZ). WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE VFR AND THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER PART 91. PIC WAS CURRENT AND QUALIFIED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS AIRWORTHY. THE PILOT STATED IN PART THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT AND QUIT SHORTLY AFTER. THE PIC AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED NO INJURIES. THE PIC STATED HE DID NOT CALCULATE A WEIGHT AND BALANCE OR REFERENCE PERFORMANCE CHARTS PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT. FIRST RESPONDERS VERIFIED THAT THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY AND NO FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE SALVAGE OPERATION. THE PIC STATED HE HAD FULL FUEL WHEN DEPARTING ORLANDO SANFORD, FL (SFB). POST ACCIDENT WEIGHT AND BALANCE CALCULATIONS PROVIDED BY THE PIC INDICATED A TAKEOFF WEIGHT 45 POUNDS OVER MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT. FIRST RESPONDER STATED THE PIC HAD A BACKPACK, TWO SMALLER BAGS AND A SADDLE WITH THEM WHEN HE DROVE THEM TO GET A RENTAL CAR. ANALYSIS OF THE HISTORICAL FLIGHT PLAN DATA INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT’S GROUND SPEED REDUCED APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH DURING THE FINAL HOUR AND FIFTEEN MINUTES OF THE FLIGHT.
SAS TASK T-EA68-FY23-0443
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.