# Accident 19980619014349A: Beech A36, Nephi, UT, June 19, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 19, 1998, 20:21 local time
- Place: Nephi, UT
- Airport: Nephi Municipal Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.6795° N, 111.8307° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6795&lon=-111.8307&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3861K, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3861K-2013-01-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech A36 (registry code 1151604, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH A36
- Reported engine: CONT IO520BB
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 1,350 total, 700 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98FA276](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98FA276) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980619014349A

## Narrative

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

ACFT PILOT REPORTED AN ENGINE FAILURE AND SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT, ARPT WAS IN SIGHT, ACFT CRASHED A THE ARPT. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED TO SALT LAKE CITY ARTCC THAT 'I'VE LOST AN ENGINE AND THE COCKPIT IS FILLING WITH SMOKE.'  FIVE MINUTES LATER THE PILOT REPORTED THAT 'MY CYLINDERS ARE ALL BLOWN, I'VE GOT SMOKE COMIN' THROUGH.'  HE STATED THAT HE WOULD SHUT OFF THE ELECTRICAL POWER AS SOON AS THE LANDING GEAR WAS DOWN.  A WITNESS OBSERVED N3861K APPEAR FROM BEHIND A ONE-STORY BUILDING FLYING 'WHAT APPEARED TO BE STRAIGHT UP IN THE AIR, AND THEN IT VEERED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT, THEN WENT STRAIGHT DOWN.'  THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN MODIFIED WITH A TURBONORMALIZING SYSTEM AND THE INSTALLER RECOMMENDED THAT THE TAILPIPE BE REMOVED FOR INTERNAL INSPECTION OF THE TURBOCHARGER EVERY 100 HOURS.  POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE TURBINE EXHAUST FLANGE REVEALED A 3-INCH PORTION WAS MISSING AND THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND ON THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK.  SEVERAL ITEMS FROM THE AIRPLANE WERE FOUND OUTSIDE THE POSTIMPACT FIRE AREA AND THEY EXHIBITED FIRE DAMAGE: THE CABIN ENTRANCE DOOR, THE CARGO DOOR, A PASSENGER'S SHOE, AND THE ENGINE COWLING.  THE FIREWALL HAD AN                                           18 INCHES HOLE BURNED THROUGH IT. TOXICOLOGY TESTS ON THE PILOT REVEALED THAT FLUOXENTIEN (TRADE NAME PROZAC, A NON-APPROVED DRUG FOR FLIGHT STATUS) WAS PRESENT IN HIS BLOOD.                                                  (-23) N3861K WAS ON A FLIGHT FROM LAS VEGAS, NV, TO PROVO, UT. IN THE AREA OF NEPHI, UT, THE PILOT CONTACTED SALT LAKE CITY CENTER AND REPORTED THAT HE HAD LOST HIS ENGINE AND HAS SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. THE PILOT WAS VECTORED TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT (NEPHI) AND HANDED OFF TO CEDAR CITY FSS. DURING THE ATTEMPTED LANDING AT THE NEPHI AIRPORT THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED APPROXIMATELY 190 FT EAST OF THE RUNWAY AND BURNED. BOTH THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE KILLED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW98FA276](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98FA276), Jun 20, 1998: Beech A36 (N3861K), Nephi, UT, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The improper installation of the turbocharger exhaust stack by unknown maintenance personnel and the subsequent fire in the engine compartment due to the exhaust gas leak from the turbocharger.…

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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