# Accident 20010718016879A: Piper PA34200, Chandler, AZ, July 18, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 18, 2001, 08:43 local time - Place: Chandler, AZ - Airport: Chandler Municipal Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Normal Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.2396° N, 111.7806° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2396&lon=-111.7806&mi=10 - Aircraft: N15120, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N15120-2002-04-29) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-34-200 (registry code 7103405, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA34200 - Reported engine: LYC LIO360C1E6 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 492 total, 26 in this make and model, 173 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA250](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA250) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010718016879A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON JULY 18, 2001, AT 0843 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-34-200, N15120M MADE AN OFF-AIRPORT EMERGENCY LANDING FOLLOWING ONSET OF AN ENGINE NACELLE FIRE IN FLIGHT NEAR CHANDLER, ARIZONA. THE COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND THE SOLE PASSENGER WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE LOCAL AREA, POST MAINTENANCE CHECKFLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY GARRISON AVIATION, INC., UNDER 14 CFT PART 91. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED FROM CHANDLER AT 0745, AND WAS RETURNING TO LAND WHEN THE FIRE COMMENCED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT TOLD THE SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO FUNCTIONALLY TEST THE AIRCRAFT AFTER REPLACEMENT OF BOTH ENGINES AND PROPELLERS. HIS PASSENGER WAS A MECHANIC. THE EARLY PORTION OF THE FLIGHT WAS ROUTINE. THE FIRE OCCURRED AFTER ABOUT 1 HOUR OF FLYING AS THEY WERE RETURNING TO LAND. BOTH ENGINES WERE OPERATING NORMALLY. THE PILOT HAD REDUCED THE POWER DURING THE DESCENT AND LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR WHILE ON A 3 OR 4 MILE STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH. AFTER LOWERING THE LANDING GEAR, HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLES AND SENSED A LOSS OF POWER IN THE RIGHT ENGINE BY YAWING OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE DID NOT RECALL ANY ROUGHNESS OR OTHER ABNORMALITY IN THE RIGHT ENGINE UP TO THAT POINT; HOWEVER, WHEN HE LOOKED AT THE RIGHT ENGINE HE SAW BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE TOP COWL SEAM AT THE FIREWALL AND BLACK STREAKING ON THE TOP OF THE NACELLE. HE SECURED THE ENGINE BY PULLING THE THROTTLE TO IDLE, THE PROP TO FEATHER, AND THE MIXTURE TO IDLE CUTOFF. WHEN HE LOOKED BACK AT THE ENGINE, FLAMES WERE VISIBLE ON THE OUTBOARD SIDE OF THE NACELLE AND THE CABIN RAPIDLY FILLED WITH BLACK SMOKE. THE VISIBILITY IN THE COCKPIT DROPPED TO ABOUT 1 FOOT AND HE COULDN'T SEE OUTSIDE, OR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, OR ANY CONTROLS. HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY TO CHANDLER AIR TRAFFIC CONTRO TOWER AND OPENED THE PILOT'S WINDOW. HE INSTRUCTED HIS PASSENGER TO CRACK OPEN THE MAIN DOOR; HOWEVER, HIS PASSENGER COULDN'T FIND THE DOOR HANDLES IN THE DENSE SMOKE. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME HE GOT THE DOOR CRACKED OPEN AND THE SMOKE CLEARED. AT THAT POINT THEY WERE DOWN TO 300 OR 400 FEET AGL, AND HE IDENTIFIED AN OPEN FIELD AS AN EMERGENCY LANDING SITE. HE REDUCED POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE, PULLED UP TO FLY OVER POWER LINES, AND LANDED IN THE FIELD. THE AIRPLAN E ENCOUNTERED A BERM DURING THE LANDING ROLL, WHICH COLLAPSED THE LANDING GEAR, AND THE AIRPLANE SLID TO A STOP. AS THEY EXITED THROUGH THE DOOR ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE, FLAMES WERE STILL VISIBLE FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE, ACCOMPANIED BY BLACK SMOKE. THE FIRE EXPANDED TO ENVELOP THE RIGHT ENGINE NACELLE AND WING. FIRE DEPARTMENT TRUCKS ARRIVED SOON AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE PILOT SAID THAT, BECAUSE OF THE RAPIDNESS WITH WHICH THE CABIN FILLED WITH SMOKE AND THE RAPIDNESS OF SUBSEQUENT LANDING EVENTS, HE NEVER COMPLETED THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN CHECKLIST. HE NEVER TURNED OFF THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE OR THE ELECTRIC FUEL BOOST PUMP. HE SAID THE FRESH AIR VENT HAD BEEN OPEN AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE AND IT DRAWS AIR IN THROUGH AN INLET IN THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WING OUTBOARD OF THE RIGHT ENGINE. HE BELIEVED THAT THE SMOKE ENTERED THE COCKPIT BY MEANS OF THE FRESH AIR VENT SYSTEM. HE SAID THAT AFTER THE EVENT WAS OVER HIS CLOTHES SMELLED OF AVGAS. (-23) ON A MAINT. EVAL FLIGHT ACFT IN THE AIR ABOUT 1 HR, FIRE OCCURED ON RIGHT ENGINE. EMERGENCY LDG. MADE. PILOT & MECH. PAX EVACUATED, NO MAJOR INJURIES, ACFT BURNED ON GROUND. FIRE DEPT EXTINGUISHED FLAMES. (.4) ON JULY 18, 2001, AT 0843 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-34-200, N15120, MADE AN OFF-AIRPORT EMERGENCY LANDING FOLLOWING ONSET OF AN ENGINE NACELLE FIRE IN FLIGHT NEAR CHANDLER, ARIZONA. THE COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND THE SOLE PASSENGER WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE LOCAL AREA, POST MAINTENANCE CHECKFLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY GARRISON AVIATION, INC., UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED FROM CHANDLER AT 0745, AND WAS RETURNING TO LAND WHEN THE FIRE COMMENCED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT TOLD THE SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO FUNCTIONALLY TEST THE AIRCRAFT FOLLOWING REPAIRS PERFORMED AFTER A LANDING INCIDENT IN WHICH THE NOSEWHEEL COLLAPSED. THE REPAIRS TO THE AIRCRAFT INCLUDED REPLACEMENT OF BOTH ENGINES AND PROPELLERS. HIS PASSENGER WAS A MECHANIC. THE EARLY PORTION OF THE FLIGHT WAS ROUTINE. THE FIRE OCCURRED AFTER ABOUT 1 HOUR OF FLYING AS THEY WERE RETURNING TO LAND. BOTH ENGINES WERE OPERATING NORMALLY. THE PILOT HAD REDUCED THE POWER DURING THE DESCENT AND LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR WHILE ON A 3- OR 4-MILE STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH. AFTER LOWERING THE LANDING GEAR, HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLES AND SENSED A LOSS OF POWER IN THE RIGHT ENGINE BY YAWING OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE DID NOT RECALL ANY ROUGHNESS OR OTHER ABNORMALITY IN THE RIGHT ENGINE UP TO THAT POINT; HOWEVER, WHEN HE LOOKED AT THE RIGHT ENGINE HE SAW BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE TOP COWL SEAM AT THE FIREWALL AND BLACK STREAKING ON THE TOP OF THE NACELLE. HE SECURED THE ENGINE BY PULLING THE THROTTLE TO IDLE, THE PROP TO FEATHER, AND THE MIXTURE TO IDLE CUTOFF. WHEN HE LOOKED BACK AT THE ENGINE, FLAMES WERE VISIBLE ON THE OUTBOARD SIDE OF THE NACELLE AND THE CABIN RAPIDLY FILLED WITH BLACK SMOKE. THE VISIBILITY IN THE COCKPIT DROPPED TO ABOUT 1 FOOT AND HE COULDN'T SEE OUTSIDE, OR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, OR ANY CONTROLS. HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY TO CHANDLER AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER AND OPENED THE PILOT'S WINDOW. HE INSTRUCTED HIS PASSENGER TO CRACK OPEN THE MAIN DOOR; HOWEVER, HIS PASSENGER COULDN'T FIND THE DOOR HANDLES IN THE DENSE SMOKE. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME HE GOT THE DOOR CRACKED OPEN AND THE SMOKE CLEARED. AT THAT POINT THEY WERE DOWN TO 300 OR 400 FEET AGL, AND HE IDENTIFIED AN OPEN FIELD AS AN EMERGENCY LANDING SITE. HE REDUCED POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE, PULLED UP TO FLY OVER POWER LINES, AND LANDED IN THE FIELD. THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A BERM DURING THE LANDING ROLL, WHICH COLLAPSED THE LANDING GEAR, AND THE AIRPLANE SLID TO A STOP. AS THEY EXITED THROUGH THE DOOR ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE, FLAMES WERE STILL VISIBLE FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE, ACCOMPANIED BY BLACK SMOKE. THE FIRE EXPANDED TO ENVELOP THE RIGHT ENGINE NACELLE AND WING. FIRE DEPARTMENT TRUCKS ARRIVED SOON AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE PILOT SAID THAT, BECAUSE OF THE RAPIDNESS WITH WHICH THE CABIN FILLED WITH SMOKE AND THE RAPIDNESS OF SUBSEQUENT LANDING EVENTS, HE NEVER COMPLETED THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN CHECKLIST. HE NEVER TURNED OFF THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE OR THE ELECTRIC FUEL BOOST PUMP. HE SAID THE FRESH AIR VENT HAD BEEN OPEN AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE AND IT DRAWS AIR IN THROUGH AN INLET IN THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WING OUTBOARD OF THE RIGHT ENGINE. HE BELIEVED THAT THE SMOKE ENTERED THE COCKPIT BY MEANS OF THE FRESH AIR VENT SYSTEM. HE SAID THAT AFTER THE EVENT WAS OVER HIS CLOTHES SMELLED OF AVGAS. THE AIRPLANE WAS FURTHER EXAMINED AT THE FACILITIES OF AIR TRANSPORT COMPANY IN PHOENIX ON JULY 24, 2001. THE RIGHT-HAND ENGINE WAS MECHANICALLY INTACT;HOWEVER, A HOSE-END "B-NUT" AT THE INLET TO THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP EXHIBITED AN UNUSUAL NUMBER OF EXPOSED THREADS. THE B-NUT WAS LOOSE AND REQUIRED 1 1/8 TURNS TO FINGER-TIGHTEN AND 1 1/4 TURNS TO SNUG TIGHTEN WITH A WRENCH. WHEN THE B-NUT WAS UNSCREWED FROM THE FITTING, THE THREADS OF THE FITTING AND THE B-NUT ITSELF DID NOT EXHIBIT ANY CRACKS OR STRIPPED THREADS. NO OTHER MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE FOUND. ## 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 LAX01LA250](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA250), Jul 18, 2001: Piper PA-34-200 (N15120), Chandler, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of maintenance personnel to properly tighten a fuel line fitting during an engine installation resulting in a fuel leak and fire during the maintenance checkflight. A factor in the… ## Other reports on N15120 (3) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20010203003409I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010203003409I), Feb 3, 2001: Piper PA34200 (N15120), Chandler, AZ, Minor damage. (-23) Nose gear collapsed during landing rollout. Pilot stated that dueing the course of the flight all previous landings had been normal with no unusual or… - [Incident 20000113002409I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000113002409I), Jan 13, 2000: Piper PA34200 (N15120), Chandler, AZ, Substantial damage. (-5) I, eric white, was the pilot in command of a Piper seneca I aircraft (PA34/20OR) at approximately 1000 local time. Plamen stoianov accompanied me. The… - [Incident 19810812066279I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810812066279I), Aug 12, 1981: Piper PA34200 (N15120), Homestead, FL, Minor damage. Nose gear collapsed after landing. Found actuator mount cracked. Pn 9572400. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.