CHI97LA153

The airplane was being ferried for a annual inspection that had expired. The pilot said he had full fuel in the right tank and 1/2 to 3/4 of fuel in the left tank at take off. At approximately 100 feet agl, the engine lost total power. The airplane was observed by a witness as banking hard to get back toward the airstrip. The pilot said that as the airplane approached the ground, he '. . . started a flare, but apparently just didn't have enough altitude for a recovery.' The pilot had the left fuel tank selected, but no fuel was found in the left tank. Both lift struts had failed at the fork ends, and both struds had compression bents in the middle.

On May 31, 1997, at 2007 eastern daylight time (edt), a Piper PA- 22-108, N5739Z, operated by a private pilot, was destroyed following a loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing while returning to a private airstrip in Alanson, Michigan. The pilot and passenger reported serious injuries. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The flight departed a private airstrip at Alanson, Michigan, at 2000 edt.

According to the pilot's written statement he was ferrying the airplane to Topinabee, Michigan for an annual inspection. The pilot said he had visually checked the right fuel tank and had full fuel. He said the left fuel tank contained 1/2 to 3/4 of a tank of fuel (10-12 gallons). After takeoff at approximately 100 to 150 feet above ground level (agl) he said the engine lost total power. The pilot reported he decided to land the airplane on the airstrip. He reported he applied carburetor heat and wanted to switch fuel tanks but never did because he was more concern with controlling the airplane. The pilot stated, "I then turned my attention to my airspeed indicator. I seen my airspeed was dropping so as I started my turn I also turned the nose down to keep the aircraft from stalling. As I approach the ground I started a flare, but apparently just didn't have enough altitude for a recovery."

One witness informed the Michigan State Police that the pilot was giving rides on the day of the crash. The witness said the airplane was descending down but too low to the ground and too close the end of the runway. The airplane banked hard to the left and he heard the engine throttle up high. The right wing was angled down towards the ground before impact with the terrain.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector represented the NTSB during the on-scene investigation. The Inspector's visual inspection revealed that the right wing had been removed by emergency crew extricating the occupants. Both lift struts had failed at the fork ends, and had compression bents in the middle. The right fuel cap was off the tank. It was found next to the engine, the ears bent. The left fuel cap was still on the fuel tank. The fuel selector was on the left fuel tank. There was continuity of the controls of the elevator, rudder, and aileron. The mag switch was on both. Inspection of the engine did not reveal any mechanical problems that would have lead to a total power loss. Inspection of the fuel tanks from the airplane showed that the right tank had considerable hydraulic deformation from the fuel during impact. The bottom was pushed down and forward. The strap marks were evident on the front of the tank. Some fuel still remained in the tank. The left fuel tank which was selected showed no evidence of hydraulic deformation to the tank. No fuel was found in the left tank. The airplane was discovered with an expired annual inspection.