20040527018149A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-34-200T · Cleveland, TX · May 27, 2004

Date: May 27, 2004 · 22:40 local
Place: Cleveland, TX
Airport: Cleveland Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Climb
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N2948S
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW04LA142
Reported as: Piper PA34200T
Reported engine: Lycoming IO360LYC*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,900 total200 in this make and model35 in the last 90 days

N2948SRegistration cancelled May 26, 2006 · Piper PA-34-200TS/N 34-7970394 · Built 1979 Airframe modelPiper PA-34-200T Engine modelContinental TSIO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On June 27, 2004, at 1156 central daylight time, a Piper PA-34-200T twin engine airplane, N2948S was destroyed during an emergency landing to a field near Cleveland, Texas. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the flight from pearland regional airport Texas (lvj) to palestine airport Texas (psn). According the pilot, he was climb through an altitude of 4,100 feet mean sea level (MSL), when smoke filled the cockpit. Source of the fire was stated to be from behind the right circuit breaker panel. Fire suppression was unsuccessful. Descent through a cloud layer was conducted during the emergency landing. Landing resulting in penetration of right fuel tank by barbed wire fence that was encountered during rollout. The pilot safely exited the airplane that was later consumed by fire.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON JUNE 27, 2004, AT 1156 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-34-200T TWIN ENGINE AIRPLANE, N2948S WAS DESTROYED DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO A FIELD NEAR CLEVELAND, TEXAS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT. AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE FLIGHT FROM PEARLAND REGIONAL AIRPORT TEXAS (LVJ) TO PALESTINE AIRPORT TEXAS (PSN). ACCORDING THE PILOT, HE WAS CLIMB THROUGH AN ALTITUDE OF 4,100 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL), WHEN SMOKE FILLED THE COCKPIT. SOURCE OF THE FIRE WAS STATED TO BE FROM BEHIND THE RIGHT CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL. FIRE SUPPRESSION WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. DESCENT THROUGH A CLOUD LAYER WAS CONDUCTED DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING. LANDING RESULTING IN PENETRATION OF RIGHT FUEL TANK BY BARBED WIRE FENCE THAT WAS ENCOUNTERED DURING ROLLOUT. THE PILOT SAFELY EXITED THE AIRPLANE THAT WAS LATER CONSUMED BY FIRE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW04LA142Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCleveland, TXThe in-flight fire that resulted from an electrical arc in the main battery cable near the main power bus. The cause of the arcing event could not be determined.May 27, 2004 · Destroyed