# Accident 19970328003799A: Piper PA31350, Nome, AK, March 28, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 28, 1997, 17:11 local time
- Place: Nome, AK
- Airport: Paom
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: ENHA
- Location: 64.5057° N, 165.4153° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Nome, AK, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.5057&lon=-165.4153&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4105D, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4105D) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31-350 (registry code 7103110, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA31350
- Reported engine: LYC TIO540J2BD
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 7,275 total, 1,550 in this make and model, 189 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970328003799A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FIRE ON LANDING. (.4)THE AIRPLANE WAS ON A SHORT FINAL APPROACH TO LAND WHEN THE PILOT NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE LEFT ENGINE NACELLE. HE TURNED OFF THE FUEL TO THE LEFT ENGINE, AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING.  THE FIRE CONTINUED TO BURN AFTER LANDING, AND THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE.  POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION DISCLOSED A LEAKING ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP.  THE PUMP WAS LEAKING WHERE THE RELIEF VALVE COVER IS FASTENED TO THE FUEL PUMP BODY.  THE SCREWS WHICH FASTEN THE COVER TO THE PUMP WERE FOUND TO BE FINGER TIGHT.  ONCE THE SCREWS WERE REFASTENED TO THE RECOMMENDED TORQUE VALUES, THE LEAK STOPPED.  OTHER, NEW, FUEL PUMPS OF THE SAME TYPE WERE TESTED FOR LEAKS. FOUR OF THE SEVEN PUMPS TESTED LEAKED, AND WERE FOUND TO HAVE RELIEF VALVE COVER SCREWS WHICH WERE UNDER TORQUED.  THIS TYPE OF FUEL PUMP HAS AN EXTENSIVE HISTORY OF LEAKS, AND SERVICE BULLETINS HAD BEEN ISSUED REFERENCE INSPECTION AND REFASTENING OF THE COVER SCREWS. THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE FACTORY SERVICE BULLETIN(S).  THE FUEL PUMP MANUFACTURER AND THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER HAVE ISSUED NEW SERVICE BULLETINS WHICH ADDRES                                    S REPETITIVE INSPECTIONS OF THE FUEL PUMP.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

## Other reports on N4105D (4)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20040522013179A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040522013179A), May 22, 2004: Piper PA31350 (N4105D), Goodnews Bay, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) Folllowing departure out of gnu encountered severe turbulance in cruise resulting in substantial airframe damage.
- [Accident 20000914038749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000914038749A), Sep 14, 2000: Piper PA31350 (N4105D), Emmonak, AK, Substantial damage. (.19) On September 14, 2000, about 1915 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-31-350 airplane, N4105D, sustained substantial damage during landing at Emmonak,…
- [Incident 19911025057769I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19911025057769I), Oct 25, 1991: Piper PA31350 (N4105D), Marthas Vineyar, MA. Fuel leak in left engine. Shut down and diverted to Vineyard haven. Fuel line had come loose.
- [Incident 19840728041129I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840728041129I), Jul 28, 1984: Piper PA31350 (N4105D), Huntsville, AL, Minor damage. Failed to lower gear. Propellers hit runway. Applied aft elevator. Became airborne. Extended gear and landed.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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