Around 1700 eastern time, a Piper PA-24-250 airplane was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain about 12 miles northeast of West Palm Beach, Florida, during an emergency landing following a total loss of engine power in cruise flight. There were no injuries to the pilot or passenger during what was described as post-maintenance test flight to check various systems and repairs. Work performed on the airplane prior to the flight included replacing the right main fuel tank and reconditioning the right fuel tank selector. The pilot later said he was flying with both the left and right fuel tank selectors in the main position, presumably drawing fuel from both main tanks. A little more than an hour into the flight, the airplane had a total loss of engine power.
March 20, West Palm Beach, Fla. / Piper Comanche 250
Around 1700 eastern time, a Piper PA-24-250 airplane was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain about 12 miles northeast of West Palm Beach, Florida, during an emergency landing following a total loss of engine power in cruise flight. There were no injuries to the pilot or passenger during what was described as post-maintenance test flight to check various systems and repairs. Work performed on the airplane prior to the flight included replacing the right main fuel tank and reconditioning the right fuel tank selector. The pilot later said he was flying with both the left and right fuel tank selectors in the main position, presumably drawing fuel from both main tanks. A little...
Key Takeaways:
- A Piper PA-24-250 was substantially damaged during an emergency landing near West Palm Beach after experiencing a total loss of engine power in cruise flight.
- The incident occurred about an hour into a post-maintenance test flight, which followed recent replacement of the right main fuel tank and reconditioning of the right fuel selector.
- The pilot reported having both left and right main fuel tank selectors in the main position when engine power was lost.
- Despite the substantial damage to the aircraft, there were no injuries to the pilot or passenger.
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