# Accident 20070901018879A: Piper PA22150, Modesto, CA, September 1, 2007

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 1, 2007, 17:48 local time
- Place: Modesto, CA
- Airport: Modesto City-Co-Harry Sham Fld
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.6258° N, 120.9544° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.6258&lon=-120.9544&mi=10
- Aircraft: N13WA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N13WA-2017-03-24) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-22-150 (registry code 7102210, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-150) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA22150
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 400 total, 50 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX07LA263](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07LA263) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070901018879A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED MOD THREE TIMES DURING THE ACCIDENT DAY. AFTER THE FIRST AND SECOND TAKEOFF, HE REPORTED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT AND RETURNED TO MOD. FIRE EQUIPMENT WAS CALLED OUT BOTH TIMES. AFTER EACH OCCURRENCE, THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PERFORMED CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE TO THE ENGINE EXHAUST MUFFLER FOR WHAT HE BELIEVED TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE SMOKE. AFTER THE THIRD TAKEOFF, HE REPORTED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT AND THAT HE OBSERVED FLAMES. DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT, THE PAX EXITED THE A/C AND WAS INJURED. THE A/C CONTINUED DOWN THE RUNWAY AT WHICH TIME THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ EXITED THE A/C. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE A/C WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. INSPECTION OF THE EXHAUST MUFFLER FOUND A LARGE HOLE, APPROX. 2" DIA. AT THE BOTTOM LEFT END. THE EXHAUST HEAT/FLAME BURNED THROUGH THE ALUMINUM MUFFLER SHROUD AND RUPTURED A FIREWALL MOUNTED BRAKE LINE ALLOWING BRAKE FLUID TO INTENSIFY THE ENGINE EXHAUST FLAME HEAT ON THE FIREWALL. THE COCKPIT/CABIN FIRE APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED DUE TO THE INTENSE HEAT RADIATED THROUGH THE FIREWALL.

## 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 LAX07LA263](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07LA263), Sep 2, 2007: Piper PA-22-150 (N13WA), Modesto, CA, destroyed. Probable cause: The failure of the airplane's exhaust muffler during takeoff that was due to an inadequate annual inspection. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's inadequate inspection to isolate the smoke…

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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