Piper PA-44 N160PT accident near Hawkinsville, Georgia

Probable cause

The pilot’s inadequate in-flight decision-making, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

NTSB analysis

The pilot of the twin engine-equipped airplane reported that while on an instrument flight rules cross-country flight at night, he became concerned about the amount of fuel aboard and considered stopping for fuel. About the time he became aware of the fuel state, the airplane encountered instrument meteorological conditions and his attention was diverted from finding an alternate airport to maintaining his flight path. When air traffic control cleared the pilot to go direct to the initial approach fix at his destination airport, the airplane experienced an uncommanded right yaw. The pilot recognized that the right engine experienced a total loss of power and he began to secure that engine. He declared an emergency and requested radar vectors to the nearest airport. Then, the left engine began to “sputter” and experienced a total loss of power. The pilot reported that he “was sure that it was fuel exhaustion.” Unable to glide to an airport, the pilot aimed for the darkest landscape, to avoid any ground injuries, and the airplane impacted terrain resulting in substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. Post-accident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector noted no smell of fuel or indications of fuel present at the accident site. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Based on this information, it is likely that the pilot exhausted the available fuel supply, with resulted in a total loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA23LA083 for the full record.