# NTSB IAD05LA103: Piper PA-28-180, N4797L, Denton, MD, July 18, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 18, 2005, 18:45 local (22:45 UTC) - Place: Denton, MD - Coordinates: 38.851112, -75.815551 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8511&lon=-75.8156&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 30, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 62004 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD05LA103 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62004/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD05LA103 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - soft ## Analysis About 30 minutes after departure, and while cruising at 1,000 msl, the engine began to gradually lose power. Over the next 3 minutes, the pilot attempted to restore engine power, but was unsuccessful. He subsequently performed a forced landing to a farm field. During the landing, the airplane's landing gear sunk into the soft ground, and the right wing contacted the ground. The pilot stated that prior to departure, the airplane's fuel tanks contained a combination of aviation and automotive fuel. The airplane did not have a supplemental type certificate for the use of automotive fuel. The airplane was owned, operated, and maintained by the pilot, who did not possess a mechanic certificate. External examination of the airplane did not reveal mechanical malfunctions or failures of the engine, and further examination of the airplane or the engine was not possible. ## Factual narrative On July 18, 2005, about 1845 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N4797L, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, following a loss of engine power, near Denton, Maryland. The certificated private pilot/owner received minor injuries, and the 3 passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 local personal flight, which departed from a private airstrip in Goldsboro, Maryland, about 1815. According to the pilot, about 30 minutes after departure, the airplane was in cruise at 1,000 feet above mean sea level (msl), when the engine began to gradually lose power. Over the next 3 minutes, the pilot attempted to restore engine power, but was unsuccessful. He also noted that both fuel pressure and oil pressure indications were "good." The pilot subsequently performed a forced landing to a farm field. During the landing, the airplane's landing gear sunk into the soft ground, and the right wing contacted the ground. The pilot additionally stated that the airplane's fuel tanks contained about 10 gallons of 100 low lead aviation fuel, to which he added 11 additional gallons of automotive gasoline, prior to departure. He also stated that the airplane did not have a supplemental type certificate for the use of automotive fuel. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane was maintained by the pilot, who did not possess a mechanic certificate. During the inspector's initial examination of the airplane following the accident, other than noting its generally "poor" condition, he did not find any obvious mechanical malfunctions or failures of the engine. He was unable to examine the airplane further, and was also unable to inspect the airplane's maintenance logs, or the pilot's flight logs. A search of the FAA airman database revealed that the pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. His most recent application for an FAA third class medical certificate, dated June 20, 2003, revealed that he had accumulated 2,840 total hours of flight experience. The weather reported at Easton/Newnam Field, located about 12 nautical miles west, at 1845, included winds from 280 degrees at 4 knots, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, temperature 72 degrees Fahrenheit, and dew point 52 degrees Fahrenheit. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4797L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4797L-2012-12-13), registration cancelled 2012-12-13, S/N 28-4135, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-180 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-4135 - Airframe hours: 2400 - Engines: Lycoming O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 1, 2005 - Departed: NONE, Goldsboro, MD - Destination: NONE ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 64; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 2,840 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.03 inHg - Observed at: ESN ## 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 20050718018879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050718018879A), Jul 18, 2005: Piper PA28180, Denton, MD, Substantial damage. (-23) At a cruising altitude of 1000 ft, a gradual loss of power occurred and the aircraft was landed on an off-airport farm field. 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.