Piper PA-28-180 N11NT accident near Dell City, Texas

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to switch fuel tanks while en route which resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that on a cross country flight, the engine lost power. He turned on the fuel pump and attempted to restart the engine several times; however, the engine would not restart, so he landed the airplane in a field. During the rollout, the left tire impacted a barbed wire fence, the left landing gear separated from the airplane, and the left wing to drug along the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the bottom of the left wing.

The pilot stated that he was switching fuel tanks every hour, but he became distracted when the airplane crossed a mountain range and he did not switch the fuel tanks. The engine lost power due to fuel starvation. The pilot reported there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN24LA191 for the full record.