Piper PA32 N4726S accident near Florida, Massachusetts

Probable cause

The pilot’s fuel mismanagement during flight, resulting in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and a forced landing in a remote, wooded terrain.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that he departed on the night, cross-country flight with full fuel tanks, or 84 gallons total on board. About 1.5 hours into the flight, the engine lost all power, and a restart attempt was unsuccessful. He performed a forced landing in remote, wooded, mountainous terrain. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries; one passenger had serious injuries.

Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of a preexisting mechanical malfunction or failure of the engine. The fuel selector was found positioned on the right main tank. The right main tank was punctured, but otherwise was not breached. No fuel was found below the puncture hole. Examination of the fuel lines found that the line from the engine firewall to the fuel pump and the line from the fuel pump to the carburetor were absent of fuel. The other three tanks were damaged, and fuel staining was observed on the snow around the main wreckage.

Performance data for the airplane indicated that the engine would have consumed a fuel amount approximating the capacity of the right main tank prior to the loss of power. It is likely that the pilot exhausted the fuel in the right tank and did not switch tanks during his attempt to restore engine power.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA20LA057 for the full record.