What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The aircraft departed westover field amador co (O70) and during climbout requested flight following to mcclellan-palomar (crq). After approximately 35 minutes in flight the aircraft's right engine's fuel flow indicator began to fluctuate from the normal range to a zero reading and simultaneously, the right engine began to operate rough. Since the aircraft was near the Fresno-Yosemite int'l airport (fat) the pilot elected to land there for maintenance assistance to check-out this problem. The pilot landed uneventfully without further incident. However, while taxiing to the nearest FBO, the right aft engine compartment blew up causing some sheet metal damage to the aft cowling fairing area. Further investigation was conducted at the site and there was evidence of a fire at the aft nacelle bulkhead area. This fire damage didn't appear to be significant in nature by the lack of damage that was found. A copper line was found broken from its original secured position. This line was the direct fuel pressure line leading to the fuel guage in the cockpit. This line had become "hard worked" and broke off due to age and possible vibration.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED WESTOVER FIELD AMADOR CO (O70) AND DURING CLIMBOUT REQUESTED FLIGHT FOLLOWING TO MCCLELLAN-PALOMAR (CRQ). AFTER APPROXIMATELY 35 MINUTES IN FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT ENGINE'S FUEL FLOW INDICATOR BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE FROM THE NORMAL RANGE TO A ZERO READING AND SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE RIGHT ENGINE BEGAN TO OPERATE ROUGH. SINCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS NEAR THE FRESNO-YOSEMITE INT'L AIRPORT (FAT) THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND THERE FOR MAINTENANCE ASSISTANCE TO CHECK-OUT THIS PROBLEM. THE PILOT LANDED UNEVENTFULLY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. HOWEVER, WHILE TAXIING TO THE NEAREST FBO, THE RIGHT AFT ENGINE COMPARTMENT BLEW UP CAUSING SOME SHEET METAL DAMAGE TO THE AFT COWLING FAIRING AREA. FURTHER INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED AT THE SITE AND THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF A FIRE AT THE AFT NACELLE BULKHEAD AREA. THIS FIRE DAMAGE DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE SIGNIFICANT IN NATURE BY THE LACK OF DAMAGE THAT WAS FOUND. A COPPER LINE WAS FOUND BROKEN FROM ITS ORIGINAL SECURED POSITION. THIS LINE WAS THE DIRECT FUEL PRESSURE LINE LEADING TO THE FUEL GUAGE IN THE COCKPIT. THIS LINE HAD BECOME "HARD WORKED" AND BROKE OFF DUE TO AGE AND POSSIBLE VIBRATION.
Other reports on N3934M · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.