What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft, with one person onboard, while conducting aerial survey flight, experienced engine loss of power at 1500-feet above ground level (AGL). Pilot attempted switching fuel tank selection but was unable to restore engine power. At approximately 1300-feet AGL pilot declared an emergency and decided to land on eastbound lanes of highway. Pilot lined up for landing on highway and descended. Pilot observed an 18-wheeler on the highway and thought he was clear of the vehicle. The aircraft's right main landing gear impacted top of 18-wheeler trailer. The aircraft rolled left from atop 18-wheeler with left wing tip impacting road surface compromising the wing tip fuel tank. Upon fuselage impacting roadway surface, trailing sparks caused leaking fuel to catch fire. The aircraft came to rest heading eastbound with nose landing gear sheared off. The pilot exited the aircraft. Aircraft continued to burn until emergency services arrived and extinguished the flames. Videos posted on social media indicate the aircraft was largely intact prior to being destroyed by fire.
A detailed inspection of the engine was conducted. An inspection checklist provided by the NTSB was utilized as a guide for the inspection. The only possible causal anomalies discovered were the following: the engine driven fuel pump was removed and discovered to be seized. This could have been a result of propeller spinner impact with concrete highway barrier causing engine sudden stoppage, or fire damage; the engine driven fuel pump drive coupling was sheared. This could have been a result of a result of propeller spinner impact with concrete highway barrier causing engine sudden stoppage and/or crankshaft movement during recovery and transport of the aircraft; lack of/minimal magneto spark. This could have been a result of fire damage.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT, WITH ONE PERSON ONBOARD, WHILE CONDUCTING AERIAL SURVEY FLIGHT, EXPERIENCED ENGINE LOSS OF POWER AT 1500-FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL). PILOT ATTEMPTED SWITCHING FUEL TANK SELECTION BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE ENGINE POWER. AT APPROXIMATELY 1300-FEET AGL PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND DECIDED TO LAND ON EASTBOUND LANES OF HIGHWAY. PILOT LINED UP FOR LANDING ON HIGHWAY AND DESCENDED. PILOT OBSERVED AN 18-WHEELER ON THE HIGHWAY AND THOUGHT HE WAS CLEAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR IMPACTED TOP OF 18-WHEELER TRAILER. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED LEFT FROM ATOP 18-WHEELER WITH LEFT WING TIP IMPACTING ROAD SURFACE COMPROMISING THE WING TIP FUEL TANK. UPON FUSELAGE IMPACTING ROADWAY SURFACE, TRAILING SPARKS CAUSED LEAKING FUEL TO CATCH FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST HEADING EASTBOUND WITH NOSE LANDING GEAR SHEARED OFF. THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO BURN UNTIL EMERGENCY SERVICES ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. VIDEOS POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT WAS LARGELY INTACT PRIOR TO BEING DESTROYED BY FIRE.
A DETAILED INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE WAS CONDUCTED. AN INSPECTION CHECKLIST PROVIDED BY THE NTSB WAS UTILIZED AS A GUIDE FOR THE INSPECTION. THE ONLY POSSIBLE CAUSAL ANOMALIES DISCOVERED WERE THE FOLLOWING: THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP WAS REMOVED AND DISCOVERED TO BE SEIZED. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A RESULT OF PROPELLER SPINNER IMPACT WITH CONCRETE HIGHWAY BARRIER CAUSING ENGINE SUDDEN STOPPAGE, OR FIRE DAMAGE; THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP DRIVE COUPLING WAS SHEARED. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A RESULT OF A RESULT OF PROPELLER SPINNER IMPACT WITH CONCRETE HIGHWAY BARRIER CAUSING ENGINE SUDDEN STOPPAGE AND/OR CRANKSHAFT MOVEMENT DURING RECOVERY AND TRANSPORT OF THE AIRCRAFT; LACK OF/MINIMAL MAGNETO SPARK. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A RESULT OF FIRE DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N9306Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.