# Incident 20000605017549I: Piper PA34200T, San Jose, CA, June 5, 2000

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 5, 2000, 14:37 local time
- Place: San Jose, CA
- Airport: San Jose International
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: WNHA
- Location: 37.3394° N, 121.8950° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of San Jose, CA, within about 8 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3394&lon=-121.8950&mi=10
- Aircraft: N32936, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N32936-2009-07-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-34-200T (registry code 7103406, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200t) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-360 series (registry code 17019, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA34200T
- Reported engine: CONT TSIO360*
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 6,250 total, 400 in this make and model, 250 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000605017549I

## Narrative

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

(-23)THE PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA ON A FAR PART 135 FLIGHT WITH TWO PAASENGERS ON BOARD. ONE MINUTE AFTER ROTATION, HE SAID THE TOWER REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT WAS TRAINLING SMOKE BEHIND THE LEFT ENGINE.  THE PILOT STATED THE LEFT ENGINE SLOWLY LOST POWER, AND HE INITIATED AN IMMEDIATE RETURN TO SAN JOSE AIRPORT.  HE STATED THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER DURING CLIMB TO PATTERN ALTITUDE.  HE SAID THAT WHEN ENGINE POWER DETERIORATED TO 1000 RPM, HE PERFORMED ENGINE SHUTDOWN.  THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITH THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN, AND PROPELLER FEATHER.  BECAUSE SMOKE HAD BEEN REPORTED, THE PILOT SAID HE ELECTED TO SECURE THE AIRCRAFT AND EVACUATE PASSENGERS AFTER EXITING THE RUNWAY.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOWED TO PARKING.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT DAMAGED.  NO ACTUAL FIRE OR INJURIES OCCURRED.  CAUSE OF THE POWER LOSS WAS LATER DETERMINED TO BE A CLOGGED FUEL INJECTOR RESULTING IN EXCESSIVELY RICH NIXTURE PROVIDED TO REMAINING CYLINDERS.  THE RICH MIXTURE APPARENTLY CAUSED VAPOR TRAIL FROM THE LEFT ENGINE.  THIS COMPLETES THE INVESTIGATION AND THIS MATTER IS CLOSED.

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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