NTSB Factual Report

On August 29, 2018, about 1840 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-181 airplane, N4139A, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in Casa Grande, Arizona. The private pilot and pilot-rated passenger were not injured. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot-rated passenger under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the cross-country flight. The flight originated from Nogales International Airport (OLS), Nogales, Arizona about 1710 and was destined for Van Nuys Airport (VNY), Van Nuys, California.

According to the pilot, they departed OLS with full fuel after completing an engine run-up that did not indicate any anomalies. Approximately 25 minutes into the flight, and about 100 nm northwest of OLS, the engine started shaking violently and sputtering. Neither pilot observed an illumination of any annunciator lights. The pilot turned the ignition to the OFF position and retarded the mixture control to the idle setting, but was unable to disengage the fuel using the shut-off valve for the remainder of the flight. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger selected a road and the airplane touched down uneventfully. During the landing roll, the right wing impacted a barbed wire fence before the airplane departed the right side of the road and came to rest.

Postaccident photos furnished by local law enforcement revealed an approximately 3 ft long depression in the outboard right wing. Additionally, the top of the engine cowl was breached and displayed a streak of oil that terminated at the windshield.