At 1053 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured; visual conditions prevailed. After the pilot topped the fuel tanks and performed a normal preflight, the aircraft took off and conducted a local flight, during which the pilot performed a power-on stall at an altitude of 2500 feet. Shortly after recovery, the engine began to “sputter and run rough.” The pilot applied carburetor heat, maintained best-glide airspeed and flew toward the nearest airport. The engine maintained 1500 rpm. The pilot noted the oil pressure, oil temperature and fuel pressure were “in the green.” Both fuel tanks indicated “plenty of fuel,” and the pilot subsequently switched fuel tanks. The pilot realized he was not going to make an airport and landed on a highway. The left wing struck a barrier during the landing, and the airplane came to rest on the side of the highway.
September 1, 2009, Mansfield, Mass., Piper PA-28-151
At 1053 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured; visual conditions prevailed. After the pilot topped the fuel tanks and performed a normal preflight, the aircraft took off and conducted a local flight, during which the pilot performed a power-on stall at an altitude of 2500 feet. Shortly after recovery, the engine began to "sputter and run rough." The pilot applied carburetor heat, maintained best-glide airspeed and flew toward the nearest airport.
Key Takeaways:
- An airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing on a highway after its engine began running rough.
- The engine trouble started shortly after the pilot performed a power-on stall maneuver at 2500 feet.
- The commercial pilot and passenger were uninjured, though the left wing struck a barrier during the landing.
- Despite the rough engine, critical gauges (oil pressure, temperature, fuel pressure, fuel quantity) indicated normal operation, and the engine maintained 1500 rpm.
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