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20230801014639I

Incident · No damage
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FAA incident report · Piper PA-38-112 · St. Jacob, IL · August 1, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 1, 2023 · 18:18 local
Place
St. Jacob, IL
Airport
St Louis Metro-East/Shafer Fie
Phase of flight
Landing: Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
No damage
Aircraft
N144M
Reported as
Piper PA-38-112
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-235 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
3,500 total
N144MRegistered now · Piper PA-38-112S/N 38-78A0596 · Built 1978Airframe modelPiper PA-38-112Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The aircraft started with 12.5 gallons of fuel. During my inspection, there was still fuel in both tanks. They flew for approximately 30 minutes, performed the landing checklist, then proceeded to practice four touch and goes. On the fifth touch and go, they were at approximately 500 feet and ¾ mile from the runway, and the engine quit.

The pilot turned toward the runway, switched fuel tanks and attempted a restart. The engine did not restart, and he made an emergency landing in a bean field next to Illinois state route 4 in St. Jacob, IL. There was no damage. Both occupants of aircraft had no injuries.

After the aircraft was towed back to the hanger. The mechanics verified there was fuel in both tanks. There was no water or debris in the gasolater. After five attempts, the engine started, but would not rev up. The carburetor was removed and sent to a repair facility. The facility reports the shaft was worn, but did not appear to malfunction.

9/27/2023 The mechanic found that the fuel pump was not operating correctly. A new fuel pump p/n AF15472 was installed and the aircraft is being returned to service.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRCRAFT STARTED WITH 12.5 GALLONS OF FUEL. DURING MY INSPECTION, THERE WAS STILL FUEL IN BOTH TANKS. THEY FLEW FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES, PERFORMED THE LANDING CHECKLIST, THEN PROCEEDED TO PRACTICE FOUR TOUCH AND GOES. ON THE FIFTH TOUCH AND GO, THEY WERE AT APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET AND ¾ MILE FROM THE RUNWAY, AND THE ENGINE QUIT.

THE PILOT TURNED TOWARD THE RUNWAY, SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND ATTEMPTED A RESTART. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESTART, AND HE MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A BEAN FIELD NEXT TO ILLINOIS STATE ROUTE 4 IN ST. JACOB, IL. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE. BOTH OCCUPANTS OF AIRCRAFT HAD NO INJURIES.

AFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOWED BACK TO THE HANGER. THE MECHANICS VERIFIED THERE WAS FUEL IN BOTH TANKS. THERE WAS NO WATER OR DEBRIS IN THE GASOLATER. AFTER FIVE ATTEMPTS, THE ENGINE STARTED, BUT WOULD NOT REV UP. THE CARBURETOR WAS REMOVED AND SENT TO A REPAIR FACILITY. THE FACILITY REPORTS THE SHAFT WAS WORN, BUT DID NOT APPEAR TO MALFUNCTION.

9/27/2023 THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS NOT OPERATING CORRECTLY. A NEW FUEL PUMP P/N AF15472 WAS INSTALLED AND THE AIRCRAFT IS BEING RETURNED TO SERVICE.