Piper PA-24-260 N478WT

Summary

On 11 July 2022 at about 00:10 local time, a Piper PA-24-260 registered N478WT was involved in an accident near Rapid City, South Dakota, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 July 2022 at 00:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Rapid City, South Dakota, United States

Coordinates

44.0442, -103.0788

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-260

Registration

N478WT

Category

Airplane

Year built

1966

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rapid City → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN22LA313

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because the airplane was unavailable for examination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, shortly after departure, about 6,000 ft above mean sea level, the engine lost all power. He declared an emergency with air traffic control and stated that he needed to return to the airport. He subsequently switched fuel tanks and attempted multiple engine restarts, but power could not be restored. Unable to reach the runway, he performed a forced landing to a field, during which the airplane bounced, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane slid until it came to rest upright, which resulted in substantial damage to the elevator. Following the accident, fuel was drained from the left and right main fuel tanks as well as the right auxiliary fuel tank. When the left auxiliary fuel tank was checked, no fuel was present. No contaminants were found in any of the fuel samples. The pilot stated that he departed with an estimated 68 gallons of fuel on board, after adding about 60 gallons in the main fuel tanks. The wreckage was sold before it could be examined by the National Transportation Safety Board; therefore, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.