# Incident 20250629007039I: Piper PA-28-181, Memphis, TN, June 29, 2025

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 29, 2025, 16:30 local time
- Place: Memphis, TN
- Airport: Dewitt-Spain
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.1495° N, 90.0490° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Memphis, TN, within about 10 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1495&lon=-90.0490&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8103Q, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8103Q) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-181 (registry code 7102807, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-181
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot, student
- Pilot flight hours: 1,707 total, 25 in this make and model, 125 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250629007039I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON JUNE 29, 2025, AN AIRCRAFT REPORTEDLY MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD NEAR DEWITT SPAIN AIRPORT (M01). ON JUNE 30, ANOTHER INSPECTOR AND I ARRIVED TO INVESTIGATE THE SCENE. WE FOUND THE AIRCRAFT AT THE BOTTOM OF A WATER RUNOFF AREA BEYOND THE SOUTH END OF THE RUNWAY, WITH ITS NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED BENEATH IT. BY ANALYZING THE FIELD AND IDENTIFYING THE AIRCRAFT'S ENTRY POINT, WE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED WHERE IT FIRST HIT THE GROUND. OUR INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE WASN'T PRODUCING POWER, AS INDICATED BY THE MINIMAL DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER. WE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY, WHILE THE RIGHT ONE CONTAINED 13 GALLONS OF FUEL. THERE WERE MULTIPLE SIGNS OF FUEL LEAKAGE ON THE FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES ATOP THE LEFT WING AND UNDERNEATH THE WING NEAR THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR. DURING THE INSPECTION, WE FOUND THE LEFT SUMP DRAIN VALVE LOCKED IN THE OPEN POSITION, WHICH WOULD ALLOW FUEL TO DRAIN FROM THE LEFT TANK. AFTER RELOCATING THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE FIELD, WE THOROUGHLY INSPECTED THE LEFT SUMP VALVE WITH A BORESCOPE AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF FOREIGN OBJECTS OR DEFECTS CAUSING IT TO REMAIN OPEN. WE TESTED THE VALVE'S FUNCTIONALITY BY ADDING FUEL AND CONFIRMED IT OPERATED CORRECTLY. WE ALSO CHECKED THE RIGHT WING'S FUEL SUMP VALVE AND FOUND NO ISSUES. WHEN WE OPENED THE ENGINE STRAINER SUMP VALVE, WE FOUND NO FUEL PRESENT. CONSIDERING THE AIRCRAFT'S ELEVATED TAIL POSITION AFTER LANDING AND DISCUSSING THE SITUATION WITH THE OTHER INSPECTOR, WE BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SOME FUEL FOUND IN THE LEFT TANK UNLESS THE SUMP WAS OPEN BEFORE THE FLIGHT

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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