# NTSB CEN22LA313: Piper PA-24-260, N478WT, Rapid City, SD, July 11, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 10, 2022, 18:10 local (Jul 11, 2022, 00:10 UTC) - Place: Rapid City, SD · Landed short of runway 5 - Coordinates: 44.044227, -103.07879 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.0442&lon=-103.0788&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 105449 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA313 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105449/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105449 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA313 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because the airplane was unavailable for examination. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, shortly after departure, about 6,000 ft above mean sea level, the engine lost all power. He declared an emergency with air traffic control and stated that he needed to return to the airport. He subsequently switched fuel tanks and attempted multiple engine restarts, but power could not be restored. Unable to reach the runway, he performed a forced landing to a field, during which the airplane bounced, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane slid until it came to rest upright, which resulted in substantial damage to the elevator. Following the accident, fuel was drained from the left and right main fuel tanks as well as the right auxiliary fuel tank. When the left auxiliary fuel tank was checked, no fuel was present. No contaminants were found in any of the fuel samples. The pilot stated that he departed with an estimated 68 gallons of fuel on board, after adding about 60 gallons in the main fuel tanks. The wreckage was sold before it could be examined by the National Transportation Safety Board; therefore, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On July 10, 2022, about 1810 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-24-260 airplane, N478WT, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Rapid City, South Dakota. The pilot was uninjured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he departed for an estimated 30-minute flight. When the airplane was about 6,000 ft above mean sea level, the engine lost all power. The pilot declared an emergency with air traffic control and stated that he needed to return to the airport. He subsequently switched fuel tanks and attempted multiple engine restarts, but power could not be restored. Unable to reach the runway, he performed a forced landing to a field, during which the airplane bounced, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane slid until it came to rest upright, which resulted in substantial damage to the elevator. The pilot stated that, following the accident, he turned off the fuel selector to prevent a fire. The pilot stated that the airplane had undergone an annual inspection about 2 days before the accident flight. Following the inspection, the pilot flew the airplane in the traffic pattern and then added 30 gallons of fuel to each main fuel tank for a total of 68 gallons of fuel on board the airplane. He said that it was his habit to start the flight with the left main fuel tank selected. When the engine lost power, he switched to the right main fuel tank for the restart attempts. He said that he did not use the auxiliary fuel tanks. During a postaccident examination by the Federal Aviation Administration, fuel was drained from the left and right main fuel tanks as well as the right auxiliary fuel tank. When the left auxiliary fuel tank was checked, no fuel was present. No contaminants were found in any of the fuel samples. A detailed engine examination could not be accomplished because the insurance company sold the wreckage before it was released by the National Transportation Safety Board. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N478WT](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N478WT), registered now, S/N 24-4634, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24-260 - Registry model: [Piper PA-24-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-260) (registry code 7102406) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-4634 - Year built: 1966 - Airframe hours: 10456 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 2, 2022, 1 hours before - Departed: KRAP, Rapid City, SD - Airport: RAP - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B, Satellite tracking device, Auto-pilot, Onboard weather ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 2, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 325 total, 194 in this make and model, 176 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 10° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: KRAP, 1 nm away - METAR: KRAP 102352Z 01008KT 10SM CLR 32/11 A3000 RMK AO2 SLP125 T03220106 10339 20311 56007 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20220710011989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220710011989A), Jul 10, 2022: Piper PA-24-260, Rapid City, SD, Substantial damage. On July 10, 2022 at 6:10 pm, a Piper PA-24-260 [privacy data omitted]operated by the pilot was involved in an "off field" emergency landing accident while… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 14, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105449. 36.9 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 12 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14679480&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 74 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14678780&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 617 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14679500&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf - FAA examination email (item 4, PDF, 4 pages, 34.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14682683&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Examination%20Email_Redacted-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.