BFO94LA004

While on the airport's base leg of the traffic pattern, the airplane's engine lost total power. The pilot attempted an emergency landing to a field. The airplane's glide did not allow it to make the field and it collided with a tree prior to touchdown. The airplane sustained damage to both wing spars and wing structure. The propeller blades were also bent aft. Post accident examinations of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies. The engine was restarted and no anomalies were noted.

On Monday, November 8, 1993, at 1038 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-161, N8223T, owned and operated by Dulles Aviation located in Manassas, Virginia, and piloted by Eduardo A. Bonacic-Doric of Vienna, Virginia, lost total engine power while in the Manassas Airport's traffic pattern. The pilot made a forced landing in a field. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

The pilot reported that he was cleared to land the airplane on runway 16R. He stated that there was a Cessna 152 that was cleared to land before his airplane, so he extended the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. The pilot stated, "When I turned into base leg I reduced the power after applying hot air to the carburetor. The engine quit running and I reported to the tower that I was in [an] emergency [situation] and [was trying] to reach the runway, but [because] I did not have enough altitude to reach the runway, I tried to land on a 70 yards long piece of land." The pilot stated that during the emergency descent, the airplane contacted a tree prior to touchdown. The pilot said that the airplane touched down and rolled into trees which stopped the airplane.

Examination of the airplane at the accident site revealed that the fuel tanks were full and no fuel contaminates were found. The fuel selector was positioned on the left fuel tank. The mixture and throttle were in the full aft position. According to a Federal Aviation Administration safety inspector, the pilot reported to him that once the airplane came to rest, "...I [the pilot] shut everything off prior to exiting the airplane."

The accident was located about one quarter mile north of the airport. The airplane sustained damage to both wing leading edges and wing spars. The right fuel tank was breached. The propeller blades were bent aft and the bottom of the fuselage was damaged. Fuel was drained from each wing fuel tank for safe transport back to the airport.

The airplane was removed from the accident site and stored in a hangar at the Manassas Airport. Fuel was put back into the airplane's left fuel tank and the engine was started. The engine ran at full power and at idle. The left and right magneto's were selected and a reduction in engine revolutions per minute was observed. No engine anomalies were noted.