19950610018399I

NARRATIVE: ON 6-10-95 AT APPROXIMATELY 1243 PDT, A PIPER PA-32RT-300T MODEL AIRCRAFT, N21372, REGISTERED TO UNITED INVESTMENT TECHNOLOGY OF DELAWARE AND OPERATED BY ROBERT J. CULLEN ^PRIVACY DATA OM^ WAS OPERATING AS A JUMP PLANE (FOUR SKYDIVERS WERE ABOARD ON TAKEOFF) UNDER FAR PART 91 REQUIREMENTS WHEN THE FOLLOWING INCIDENT OCCURRED AT THE PORTERVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (PTV) IN PORTERVILLE, CA. THE PILOT, MR. CULLEN , CONVEYED TO THE REPORTING AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR (ASI) WHO WAS THE FAA IIC, THAT ON CLIMB OUT WITH A DIRECTIONAL HEADING OF 280 DEGREES, AT APPROXIMATELY 700' AGL, HE BEGAN TO SMELL AN ACRID ODOR. IT WAS NOT AN ELECTRICAL FIRE TYPE OF SMELL, BUT MORE LIKE A RUBBER OR FIBERGLASS BURNING SMELL. AT ABOUT 850'AGL THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A "SEVERE ENGINE MISS", AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE HEARD A "POP" COMING FROM THE ENGINE. AT 900'AGL HE EXPERIENCED THE ENGINE MAKING A LOUD "DEEP/THROATY" SOUND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ; AT THIS POINT THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT AN AIRSPEED OF 120 KNOTS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE CABIN TEMPERATURE BEGAN TO INCREASE RAPIDLY AND FLAMES WERE VISIBLE OVER THE ENGINE COWLING AND CAME RIGHT UP TO THE WINDSHIELD AND THE COCKPIT BEGAN TO FILL WITH A WHITE/BLUE COLORED SMOKE. THE PILOT CUT OFF THE FUEL MIXTURE HOPING TO STOP FEEDING THE FIRE, BUT THE FIRE CONTINUED. THE FOUR SKYDIVERS ELECTED TO JUMP FROM THE AIRCRAFT AT THE 900' AGL ALTITUDE WHEN THEY DISCOVERED THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY THE SKYDIVERS. THE PILOT STATED WITH THE REDUCED LOAD IT WAS EASIER FOR HIM TO MANEUVER THE AIRCRAFT. HE MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN AND HEADED BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT. AT APPROXIMATELY 150' AGL AND 90 KNOTS AIRSPEED, THE PILOT SELECTED THE LANDING GEAR LEVER TO THE DOWN POSITION, BUT DUE TO THE FIRE THERE WAS NO ELECTRICAL POWER,AND THE LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT EXTEND. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO USE THE EMERGENCY LANDING GEAR (MANUAL) EXTENSION SYSTEM. THE AIRCRAFT'S INITIAL IMPACT WAS ON ITS BELLY ON A GRASS SURFACE 25' WEST OF RUNWAY 30. THE MOMENTUM BROUGHT THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDING ONTO THE RUNWAY WHERE IT CAME TO REST IN THE CENTER OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE; THE BELLY WAS SCRAPED, BUT SINCE THE MAJOR BRUNT OF THE IMPACT WAS IN A GRASS FIELD PRIOR TO REACHING THE RUNWAY, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE ONLY OTHER NOTABLE DAMAGE WAS A BENT PROPELLER AND A FIRE DAMAGED UPPER ENGINE COWLING. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED THROUGH ALL FLIGHT OPERATIONS; THERE WAS NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. THE FLIGHT CREW WAS THE PILOT ONLY--HE WAS NOT INJURED. THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ A MALFUNCTION AND DEFECT REPORT WILL BE FORTHCOMING. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THIS INCIDENT REPORT IS CONSIDERED CLOSED.